Waking Up: Meditation & Wisdom Reviews

by 0x8BADF00D

My original review seems to have been deleted for some reason, so I’m re-posting it.

I've been trying to build a meditation practice, on and off, for several years now. Unfortunately, I've never managed to stay consistent with it, and lately it has mostly been off. I'm fully sold on the benefits of regular meditation, but practicing on a daily basis is easier said than done, and I feel like I still haven't really progressed beyond the stage of mostly "thinking with my eyes closed." I've also been a fan of Sam's work for a long time, so I was eagerly awaiting the release of WakingUp in the hope that it would get me "hooked" and teach me the techniques I need to progress.

Unfortunately, after spending a few weeks with it, I'm a bit disappointed so far. I have to agree with Voletric's review; I find Sam's method of trying to disprove the existence of "the self" rather confusing. Many of Sam's instructions in this vein feel to me more like Zen koans than straightforward guidance, and they tend to leave me stuck in my thoughts, struggling to interpret them and understand what I'm supposed to take away from them. Perhaps I'm just too literal-minded, but this methodology does not seem to be working for me. I've had much more success with other apps like Calm and 10% Happier, even if their approaches are perhaps more surface-level.

by Sce6330

I have one suggestion - when referring to other people, such as in a loving-kindness meditation when we are asked to imagine another person, it would be helpful to use gender neutral pronouns. Sam Harris seems to have a particular problem with transgender people and with the use of they/them and other alternative pronouns for people who are outside of the gender binary. It is very distracting when I am trying to picture someone I love to only be offered the option of imagining “him or her.” Many of my loved ones use they/them pronouns. It’s so simple to use they, or just don’t use pronouns by saying “that person” rather than “him or her.” I think I have gathered from Sam’s podcast that he seems to have an issue with this way of thinking. I am very interested in all of Sam’s conversations and his views, and have learned so much from WakingUp and from the podcast. I have not yet found the podcast(s) where his clearly strong position on trans people and pronouns is talked about, so I don’t fully understand his perspective, but wanted to mention that for at least one person, me, it is very distracting when I hear “he or she” in a loving-kindness meditation. I can of course get over this and it doesn’t diminish the usefulness of WakingUp or the practice. I thought this was worth mentioning in case it matters to anyone.

by Skeetertheman

Sam, this is great. I’ve done maybe a few dozen hours of pure meditation over all. Ranging from 5 minute sessions to upwards of 2 hours at a time. I’ve read probably more than the average amount of material on meditation in general with no specific method at the forefront and the way you explain the experience and how to get there is identical to the lane I found best as I was figuring it out on my own. You’ve both reassured my current understanding of at least the begging stages of meditation and it’s always comforting to hear that we’re not trying to stop our thoughts more so recognize them and experiences them while not losing track of ourselves. I have some thoughts and questions on the breath being the forefront of meditation but ultimately have my doubts that it’s the perfect tool that most practicing meditators use. I think we can do better and I have to assume you take us there in this corse because if I have to spend one more second concentrating on my breath I’m going to phyciclyy implode. Again, thank you.

Just a special note: I’ve followed your career and your work over the years, I’ve read your books, and listen to your podcast religiously. I can’t help but consider you a friend in spirit. And I’d like to offer my thanks to you for being a source of reason in the times of my life that I could find none face to face. You’ve helped me tremendously...just in case you needed reminding that you are helping people.

by E. Fontaine

I am not a commenter. I’ve never left a review of anything in a formal sense. WakingUp has utterly transformed my life, even after only two months. It’s difficult to explain exactly how, similar to how it’s difficult to recall the richness of a dream or psychedelic / mystical experience. I’ve tried a half dozen other meditation and mindfulness apps. I was never quite able to find something that felt “right”, rationally or experientially. I am blown away by the massive changes I’ve already experienced in the way I move throughout my day, in my mind. I’m paying close attention to my thoughts as they arise, without judgement. I am pausing before reacting strongly to a comment from a partner or coworker. I find myself noticing what I’m noticing, and viewing things in a more conscious way, yet without great effort. I could go in and on. For skeptics like me who see the thousands of apps out there that claim they will help reduce anxiety and depression and help you sleep better— this is not really that kind of meditation app— but it will help you with those issues, and the impact will be sustainable. Just try it. I’m so eternally grateful for this gift, and I am at peace and humbled knowing this is only the beginning of my practice. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Sam.

by HRH Heapy

As a registered psychotherapist, I prescribe WakingUp to every single one of my clients. I have had my own mindfulness practice on and off for the last 20 years, I’ve taught hundreds of mindfulness practices over the years as well to different mental health programs and dialectical behavioral therapy (and DBT does a wonderful job at making mindfulness attainable for even the most distracted minds, yet I’ve never found anything quite like Sam Harris’ app that makes the practice of mindfulness understandable, relatable, and captivating.
Having clients come to me with a varying degree of types of problems, I approach them with an equaling varying degree of different treatments, yet there’s nothing like Mindfulness, which every person could use to increase the quality of their mental health, and again Harris’ app makes this attainable, simple, uncomplicated, and enjoyable. I really can’t say enough about how great WakingUp is, and although the subscription fee may seem like quite a lot in comparison to many other apps out there, it’s an absolute bargain and probably the greatest value I’ve ever received with my money.
Do yourself a favor, download WakingUp , and start changing your life in so many ways right now!

by 🤘🐥🤘

Hello,
I’ve noticed that if I start a meditation at 11:55 and it ends after 12 o’clock (Into the next day) the “current day streak“ I had returns to 0. This isn’t particularly important but I know that routine can be incentivize greatly by reward. Seeing those day streaks is a form of a reward, a reminder of ones dedication to the practice and can help to get someone practicing even if they don’t feel up to it that day. I have a job that eats most of my day, usually I don’t mediate until late at night/early in the morning. Though I meditate nearly every day my streaks get broken on a regular basis. I’d like to say I’m above caring about my streaks but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I feel a bit bummed when they get reset to 0. Maybe to avoid this reset WakingUp can log a “day” from the start time of the practice rather then the finish time, or maybe the clock can be Individualized to each user giving the user a 24 hour window to practice their next day in relation to the previous days practice. Personally I think the first example of logging a day based on the start is a better idea.
Either way I’m grateful for WakingUp , it’s a wonderful tool and has introduced me to the practice of mediation. Keep up the great work.

by Oak Strales

I don’t have the proper capacity of language to fully capture how the information contained in WakingUp has completely transformed my life. I have been living on the outer edges of my existence, as a passenger who felt she lacked any agency to change course. I’m filled with such profound gratitude for those of you who have kept a torch lit for all who are asleep. Awakening, like everything in the universe, is twofold. Characterized by joy and gratitude as you realize the power you wield with your discerning attention and overwhelmed with compassion, helplessness and sorrow for the suffering of so many around you. All I want to do is share what I know with everyone I meet, but I’ve learned that all I can do is continue to deepen my practice, live what I know and be ready when those around me are ready to listen. I just applied to UCB get my science teaching credential. The best thing I can do right now from my current vantage point is to help teach this generation how to effectively direct their attention and to inquire about the nature of their reality. They won’t find it in the virtual or augmented reality that they are becoming increasingly entrapped in. While I know there are many who make WakingUp possible, I must offer special thanks to David Whyte, Joseph Goldstein and you Sam. It is important now more than ever to start waking up and I’m so humbled to have made it to the other side.

by Gino G

In the 2 years i have been using WakingUp, I feel I have transcended my previous “normal” and am enjoying the best years of my life. There are many factors that have gotten me here and I credit my practice with the Waking Up app as being central among them. I no longer feel like I am largely bouncing between competing interests vying for my attention. I find it easier to relate to others and form productive, honest and satisfying partnerships with the people in my life. I more greatly appreciate how tenuous and subjective my understanding of reality is (very useful). I no longer obsess about who I am “supposed” to be or worry so much that I will not accomplish enough in my lifetime. I find more joy in helping other people and watching them flourish. I no longer feel routinely held hostage by my own fear. I don’t stress so much about “wasting time”. I don’t feel the need to hold power over others or feel automatically and debilitatingly threatened by situations where I am powerless. Most importantly, I feel well-equipped to take care of myself when I’m feeling out of control and make reasonably good decisions to navigate through those times. Chief strategy among them: not automatically overreacting to fear.

by _enso_

Sam Harris’s refreshing take on spirituality and his novel approach to meditation are invaluable resources for beginner, novice, and advanced meditators alike. Whether you have been meditating for years or simply have a passing interest in the subject, the Waking Up app offers unparalleled instruction, which make mindfulness accessible in its most raw form.

You may be a pious, religious devotee (of any faith or creed) or a secular, scientific atheist; it doesn’t matter. Sam Harris masterfully exports timeless truths and life-changing lessons which require no specific belief system or dogma to enjoy. If you have an interest in probing the nature of your own conscious experience in each moment, that is sufficient. You may even become a more attentive, comfortable, and compassionate version of yourself in the process.

The value of WakingUp surpasses its cost by orders of magnitude. In fact, I struggle to think of a more effective, meaningful way to spend $15/month. Every dollar you put towards WakingUp will be paid back tenfold (or more) as a direct increase to your wellbeing and quality of life. It is difficult to stress enough how important the lessons of meditation and mindful living are in an increasingly distracted world. And there is no better teacher than Sam.

by MochisMom21578

WakingUp is an incredible app that goes a lot farther than just helping you meditate. It can change the way you think and process the world. The guided meditation courses will teach you all you need to know to meditate on your own but the conversation topics are what really blew me away and challenged my thinking the most. The things I’ve learned from Sam Harris have helped me manage my anxiety during very uncertain times. But beyond the benefits of WakingUp itself, I was moved immensely by the kindness of the people on the Waking Up support team. When my app needed to be renewed I didn’t have extra funds at the time but the global news was incredibly bleak and I could feel my anxiety creeping back in with scary force. I reached out in hopes of getting a trial that I could use for a month or two to bring mindfulness back into my life and they responded in a matter of moments saying that they added a full year to my account for free. I have truly never had a company think about my well-being over their own profit. It blew me away and I’m still quite shocked. This isn’t just a business for them, it’s a way of life and they are walking the walk not just talking the talk. If you’re on the fence, just download it and watch how it changes your life.

by Bonertopia

I’ve meditated off and on throughout my life. Nothing ever really stuck. I never developed a meaningful and lasting practice. And I’ve realized this was due to the fact that I didn’t really know what I was doing. I didn’t really understand what exactly it was I was supposed to be practicing or practicing for. I knew to focus on breath, or a sound, and many other things that don’t really give any context to what the practice is. Well I’ve been using it for about a year now, every day, and it’s something that has changed my life forever, a realization I first had only about a month in. Sam has shown me through the course, lessons, conversations, and all the content what it is I’m doing when meditating and how to apply it not only on the cushion but in my life. He focuses on a few specific kinds of meditation in the course, but WakingUp has opened me up to meditation in general and has given me a curiosity to study its many forms and seek out the many teachings and teachers who teach it. I have started a lifelong practice, and though it’s me who put in the effort, it was WakingUp that helped guide me in getting to this wonderful place. Thank you Sam Harris and whoever else worked to make WakingUp what it is and continues to grow it.

by Huston704786

Waking Up was recommended to me by a friend. Although I’m very open to alternative approaches to most things, I’m usually disappointed by these sorts of tools. However, I was already a Sam Harris fan for other reasons so, with some skepticism, I tried it. I can honestly say that using Waking Up on a regular basis is one of the best decisions I’ve made in the past few years. I’m still a novice at it and am not always certain I’m doing it properly but, I derive great benefits each day I use it. It’s as if I reground myself in what’s essential, what’s important, what’s real, even if only for a short period each day. Each time I do a daily meditation, or practice while going about my day, I feel like I’ve taken a quick mental shower and washed away the incessant distractions, even if just for a while. I also like the extensive library of other teachers and modes of thought. I’ve learned, after suspecting for a long time, that Stoicism strongly resonates with me, and is the way I’ve approached my life for as long as I can remember. Now, I can learn to hone those skills on my path to a more enjoyable life. Let me end by saying that I rarely take the time to write reviews but, this is a tool that almost anyone will benefit from, and it’s there, just waiting for you to apply it.

by Lance Kozma

Sam is a good friend of mine. At first, I kept him at an arm’s length, only doing a session of the waking up course once every other day. I applied his teachings to every moment I could, starting with every bite of food. On day 27, I was having a bit of a mind-blowing psychedelic experience. 8 hours in, I got a tad bit lost... in thought. Wait! I need Sam! I exclaimed. And so I did my guided meditation practice with my friend Sam, who was there for me. He instructed me to, upon his snapping, look inward at the meditator. I kept drawing a blank at this concept. “Ah I see what you’re doing Sam, I get it!” I said to him. He continued to snap, which quite literally snapped me back into reality. “C’mon Sam!” I said, reluctant to return to reality. Eventually, I accepted it, went along, and returned to the present moment, where I would rest peacefully and happily. The next day, my sister and my grandmother recognized me as an adult, and noticed that my already few symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome stopped presenting themselves in the ways that my family recognized them. I then went on to complete the waking up course the next day, and I think I’ll keep coming back so long as there’s internet! Thanks Sam! You’re a good friend.

P.S.

The Stoic Path is an amazing practice, highly recommend that once you finish the course!

by Jenn_269

I have tried meditating for the last 3-4 years, never being able to stick to it for longer than 2 weeks at a time, harvesting initial peace and calm and then digressing to the old ways by stumbling on different mental obstacles, getting hanged on too much or too little narration, focusing on, forcing or anticipating my breath and so on, so i would quit it and restart practice after a while. I tried apps and various teachers , monks guided meditations with the same results. I am a big fan of Sam’s work in general , his books and podcast, and feel that he brought an immense level of detail to this course. It is well thought out and structured, he gradually introduces you to various concepts and ways of thinking/perceiving the meditation. he is filing in blindness spots, that you are not yet aware of, along the way. No day is the same in WakingUp , and each lesson challenges you in a different way. You can also deepen your experience through additional provided exercises. I’m on day 24 so far, which is the longest streak for me, and while many concepts still seem hard to grasp , i look forward to coming lessons. And it does feel incredible already to sense the time slower and your own nature and reactions differently. This is by far the most structured and easy to follow course on meditation I’ve found.

by Omihaveenoughahum

I stand by my great appreciation for WakingUp. And I understand this channel is a good way to give you guys feedback. Just did the daily meditation with Jayasara. Lovely, however I have gotten used to hearing an ending to meditations so that I know it’s time to get up and go on with my morning. I ended up fumbling around and picking up my phone and seeing that it has been over quite a while and that I was a bit behind the eight ball schedule wise.

I have never used apps so much, and didn’t imagine this one would be that different when I first got it a few months back. It just happened to be the beginning of Covid lockdowns, and I was hungry for some way to resource myself. WakingUp has been more than a crutch through challenging times—it’s been revelatory and refreshing pretty much every time I use it, which is every day. I’ve been a sporadic mediator for decades. And I have consumed a lot of spiritual teachings, always searching for a definitive “A-ha”... of course the punchline is there are no definitive “a-has” to be had, but wow, Sam’s given me some great pointers back to truth, helping me navigate the sometimes (especially lately) stormy seas of my mind. Thanks, Sam. Really and truly grateful that you’re focusing your estimable talents on this resource. It’s a tremendous gift to me and to my family, who live downstream of your offering.

by LowlyMonkey

It’s hard to explain how much WakingUp has helped me “wake up”. The best way I can describe it is that I feel that I am more able to notice my thoughts and feelings in the present moment. How I suddenly find myself playing in a drama in the theater of my mind. Sam Harris is able to teach you how to notice the dramas, rather than getting lost in them for long periods of time. As I become more observant of my mind, I feel Iike I have more control over my mind. Sam Harris explains his insights in a way that challenges you. But when you come to understand it what he’s saying, you feel like you “wake up” from tendencies that we’re holding you back. Like lucid dreaming feels (gaining control during a dream) waking up has made me feel like I am gradually lucid living. I find myself enjoying the moment more, short circuiting thoughts and feelings but feeling them more powerfully, and ultimately appreciating my life so much more. I initially was skeptical of mediation but Sam Harris does such an excellent job of explaining his message in a way that you eventually understand. The effects of this practice are indescribably priceless. I’m achieving things I didn’t think I could achieve. I enjoy everything about my life more and more as I continue to wake up. Thanks for helping me grow Sam. Everyone that understands what I’m talking about and feels the same way is grateful for what you’re doing.

by MayaMadrone

I have been using a free app for months and was feeling good about having finally gotten into a rhythm of daily meditation. However, each meditation being disconnected and by a different person made me eventually feel drawn to this course after hearing from a friend how helpful she was finding it to be. I’m only five days in and I already can feel how much deeper I’m getting. These practices really do layer and build together in important ways that I was missing before. I really appreciate having a specific meditation to do each morning rather than starting the day scrolling through options trying to choose between too many choices and sometimes changing my mind mid way through. I also have been benefiting a lot from the theory talks that I listen to during moments throughout my day. It helps integrate the practice with daily life and create the scaffolding for deeper understanding. It’s so nice being able to favorite and download these too for offline use. Overall feeling a lot of gratitude for all the thoughtfulness put into this course and all I am receiving from it. I truly believe that each of us doing the inner work to train our minds and respond rather than react to each other and the world around us is crucial to the meeting problems we are collectively facing. Each of us learning to train our minds for the benefit of all beings.

by Billpit

We live in despondent times, or so it seems. In these times more than any, there is an tendency to look inwards and when this inward seeking is constantly interrupted by our small self, which assures us there is no there-there and to get on with your life. A lot of my forays in to this enquiry had this character, leaving me more jaded for the effort.
Many have wondered and tried to come up with a way of illuminating this path. There seems to me a fundamental problem with using traditional communication, for what it communicated is not for the conceptual mind. Hence when we grasp these ideas through this small mind, there is just exasperation. The aim of true teaching is to awaken the teacher in each one of us. Plant a seed of curiosity in one’ mind and be there to help guide with the subsequent unraveling. If someone suggested this can be achieved with a digital medium in the form of a smart phone app, literally everyone in the world will find it silly. Sam Harris thankfully is not one of them and for that I Thank him(I wish there is a way to express the amplitude behind that Thanks, but my grasp of English is sadly inadequate).
My hope for writing this review is to see it can help to make this tool available for few or at least one other explorer, who has the character of not willing to surrender his/her intellect, but still willing to explore the idea of non-dualism which rings true to him/her.

by KingLeonidas118

I’ve tried other meditation apps in the past, but they never really kept me practicing. I understood what I was supposed to do (focus on the breath, not attach myself to thoughts), but I didn’t understand WHY I was doing these specific things. WakingUp is completely different. It delves fully into the theory behind meditation. Not just it’s measurable benefits, like improved focus or reduced stress, but it also goes into the higher-level purpose of the practice, like realizing the illusion of the ego and giving yourself a whole new perspective on every situation you encounter in life. If one was not interested in this kind of theory, he/she could definitely just use WakingUp for practice alone, but the theory section of WakingUp as well as the little bits of theory interspersed throughout the guided sessions help me TREMENDOUSLY. This really keeps me motivated, because it shows me that if I commit to spending time with the practice, my outlook on life is going to change in so many positive ways. And it has! I’ve been meditating for almost 2 months now and I feel less stressed, less reactive to negative emotions and inconvenient events in life, and more positive overall. That being said, I can tell I still have SO much more room to grow with the practice, and I hope to continue on for a lifetime. Thank you so much for waking me up, Sam Harris. I am infinitely grateful.

by Unknowna1

It appears that many of us are beginning to notice that we increasingly are absent from our lives, even more so than we have been in the past. And this is saying a lot, considering the knee jerk reactions to daily life which nearly all of us consistently trip over, time and time again. This increase in absense mostly takes the form of our phone hypnosis, even amongst those of us who have noticed that putting our phone away while eating, or spending time with family, or friends, is “polite”, and necessary to being present. Despite this, how useful, really, is our time spent staring into the screen? And how often do we do this?
I have found this meditation course one of increasing utility, wisdom, and sense making, amazingly packaged within the very device which blankets and obscures these positive aforementioned qualities. One of the few times in my day when picking up my phone increases the quality of my life, truly. And it’s quite likely because as soon as I pick my phone up, and start the next lesson, I just as quickly put it down, close my eyes, and begin browsing, or becoming mindful of the unceasing browsing in the one actual reality that actually matters most. Thanks Sam. Though I love podcasts, and opinions, and moral and political and psychological debate; talk, really, is cheap. Silence is golden.

by SMohammad87

This is the first time I’m truly happy to pay the subscription fee for a service. I’ve tried many meditation app and found many of their lessons/exercises helpful. However, I didn’t find any of these apps put together as a whole package that will lead me to understand meditation in its true meaning. Maybe I’m wrong but there was no indication that these apps were developed with such a purpose. I practice some of their lessons that were offered for free and thought the rest of the course will be the same so I can practice on my own. What Sam Harris does in WakingUp is different from other apps. Meditation sessions are accompanied by lessons that illustrate the course agenda as well as offering new concepts to think about. This combination motivates you practice meditation in a more regular basis. It also makes your understand what you are going to get from meditation. So far WakingUp has been a great influence in my life and I’m happy that made this decision-not with free of will of course-to subscribe to WakingUp.
I totally recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their lives.
*Sorry if the structures of the sentences above don’t match proper English grammar. English is my second language.

by Shawn_144

I’m 49, have experimented with all kinds of spiritual practices to varying effect but my scientific nature always rejected the munbo-jumbo knowing there was a simpler truth and practice. I invested in WakingUp because I love Sam Harris but upon practicing I found immediate fascination and curious results. Today on day 23 of the 50 day introduction I found myself wishing Sam would shut up because he was interrupting my peace ... I was already meditating “on my own” flawlessly !!! Thoughts came up ... I merely observed. Birds chirped outside and they were inseparable from the sensation of my own breath and heartbeat. I became hyper-aware of my being the observer and not my often ‘warring’ thoughts and judgments. It felt so good and so profound and I became so grateful emotions began to well in my heart and tears in my eyes. I opened my eyes to see a hummingbird in the bush just outside my kitchen window, mere feet away as it delicately tweeted with glee as it sipped nectar. Post meditation I calculated the time it took to have this breakthrough in consciousness ... 23 days of practice at ten minutes each is about four hours of practice ... imagine that... four hours of working out to achieve something so spectacularly beautiful and beneficial ... (level one ?) THANK YOU SAM !!

by CascadeCascadeCascadeCascade

I’m a former heroin addict. I have been in recovery and remained sober for just over 6 1/2 years. Prayer and meditation have been foundational practices instilled in me since I first attended Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous groups. Though I’ve considered myself an Atheist/Agnostic since I first began to contemplate spirituality, prayer was defined for me as simply becoming mindful of/identifying the things that most bothered me about the present state of affairs in my life. Meditation was always presented to me as an attempt to quiet the mind or achieve a state of peace by focusing on breathing. So I have always approached it from the angle of trying to achieve that aforementioned goal of inner peace. And I’d more often than not fall short of that goal. Which in turn, would discourage me from maintaining the practice. WakingUp helped me to realize that inner peace is not something that should be sought rigorously through meditation, because the two states of striving for a goal and inner peace are juxtaposed. WakingUp help me identify “inner peace” as, simply, a possible byproduct of mindfulness, not something that should be sought with diligence. Which brought new meaning to, and a greater understanding of, my processes for meditation and mindfulness.
Thanks Sam, I’m huge fan, by the way! Keep up the good work!

by Kassidihughes

As I look all around me, I am astounded by all the ways in which humans let their thoughts control them. I am tired of being deprived of not being around people who are conscious beings or at least trying to be. Once you have awakened in the lightest sense, it is very hard not to notice all the ways in which people are slaves to themselves and their thoughts. It is like going to the ophthalmologist and seeing the world through a clear lense for the first time; you are unaware that your vision has become so terrible due to a slight decline in your vision over a long period of time. They do not know what they are missing out on. Most of which have become accustomed to the lenses through which they view the world. People are accustomed to the prison of their own thoughts. I am thinking hard about the direction in which I want my life to go. Unleashing this new view upon the world has opened up countless opportunities for me. Opportunities that were always there in the first place, but unreachable with my former mindset. I am excited about the life I have been given. WakingUp and its content truly fascinate me. Thank you, Sam Harris (and all others who made WakingUp possible)! You have truly helped me in changing my own life and how I view the world.

by JDF585

I have been a Harris fan and supporter for some time and I have been waiting for WakingUp for a long time. It is very good. I like the way Sam expands the practice and includes lessons to contemplate outside of mediation. He explains things in a way that makes the ideas easy to grasp. I find him to be the most thorough instructor amongst there apps I have used. That being said I will wait with anticipation for improvements to WakingUp . More material, maybe guest instruction, daily sayings and reminders perhaps? I am sure whatever Sam adds will be just as good as what is already there. I have used Headspace for some time and have been waiting for a different app for awhile. It is ok and I like the daily reminders to get you thinking throughout the day but I find the instruction a bit basic and it doesn’t really seem to expand much even though there are tons of “different” meditations you can do. I also started using 10% happier mainly to get instruction from Joseph Goldstein whom I hope Sam will add to his app along with other collaborators. I like the idea of hearing different viewpoints as well as instruction styles. I usually use Sam’s app and follow with 10% happier each night. I am hoping Sam adds some features from the others so I can just have and use a single app. For a new release though WakingUp is outstanding. Thank you Sam.

by Naknoodle

It appears that many of us are beginning to notice that we increasingly are absent from our lives, even more so than we have been in the past. And this is saying a lot, considering the knee jerk reactions to daily life which nearly all of us consistently trip over, time and time again. This increase in absense mostly takes the form of our phone hypnosis, even amongst those of us who have noticed that putting our phone away while eating, or spending time with family, or friends, is “polite”, and necessary to being present. Despite this, how useful, really, is our time spent staring into the screen? And how often do we do this?
I have found this meditation course one of increasing utility, wisdom, and sense making, amazingly packaged within the very device which blankets and obscures these positive aforementioned qualities. One of the few times in my day when picking up my phone increases the quality of my life, truly. And it’s quite likely because as soon as I pick my phone up, and start the next lesson, I just as quickly put it down, close my eyes, and begin browsing, or becoming mindful of the unceasing browsing in the one actual reality that actually matters most. Thanks Sam. Though I love podcasts, and opinions, and moral and political and psychological debate; talk, really, is cheap. Silence is golden.

by Clasey

We live in despondent times, or so it seems. In these times more than any, there is an tendency to look inwards and when this inward seeking is constantly interrupted by our small self, which assures us there is no there-there and to get on with your life. A lot of my forays in to this enquiry had this character, leaving me more jaded for the effort.
Many have wondered and tried to come up with a way of illuminating this path. There seems to me a fundamental problem with using traditional communication, for what it communicated is not for the conceptual mind. Hence when we grasp these ideas through this small mind, there is just exasperation. The aim of true teaching is to awaken the teacher in each one of us. Plant a seed of curiosity in one’ mind and be there to help guide with the subsequent unraveling. If someone suggested this can be achieved with a digital medium in the form of a smart phone app, literally everyone in the world will find it silly. Sam Harris thankfully is not one of them and for that I Thank him(I wish there is a way to express the amplitude behind that Thanks, but my grasp of English is sadly inadequate).
My hope for writing this review is to see it can help to make this tool available for few or at least one other explorer, who has the character of not willing to surrender his/her intellect, but still willing to explore the idea of non-dualism which rings true to him/her.

by Joe Malooonr

If you are new, or even just still trying to figure out what meditation is all about, get WakingUp. I have tried them all, from calm to headspace, 10% happier, mindfulness, etc. It took me over 3 years of poking around with books and apps, then finally retreats to get to the heart of what meditation is really about, and I think WakingUp goes right at it, right from the beginning, especially with the help of the lessons, which is unique to WakingUp. Many of the apps, focus on more superficial and I would say, short sighted goals, like stress relief etc. which will come with meditation naturally, but WakingUp really aims its sights at the deepest truths of consciousness, in a clear, direct, secular way. It is excellent. I am sure some more features to come as WakingUp evolves. I would recommend deeper, long format meditations with guidance that you can choose the length, like 15, 20, 30 mins or more, for those times you have more time you want to practice with light guidance. Anyways, great job Sam, keep it up. It was worth the wait. Sending this one to all my meditators and those that are interested in learning about meditation.