Happier: Meditation

I find this program to be rich with workable options and opportunities to learn about (and manage, bit by bit) my mind and entrenched mental habits. It has helped me in several ways, maybe because it gets straight to a point without any pseudo-spiritual “fluff”. It is not about stopping thought. Rather, I see it as helping users to notice and learn about one’s habitual thoughts, emotions and responses. For example I notice feeling less scattered, and less reactive since starting 10%H a year+ ago. It is a subtle vs dramatic shift. The speaker/guides are racially and culturally diverse and have very different styles and approaches to choose from. 10% H coach Joshua has enhanced my ability to navigate the sessions with timely, personal, practical suggestions. The app keeps developing as a work in progress which I like. 10% Happier is a realistic name for this app. I hope it is increasingly available to folks who have different kinds of devices other than iPhones. I recommend it highly. Thank you Dan Harris, Joseph Goldstein, Joshua and all of you who design and teach this practical approach to meditation. You have made a very positive difference not only for me but also for others to whom I have gifted your program. Well done.

The 10% Happier book was recommended to me as I was struggling deeply with anxiety and depression. I started reading the book but, as I am an extremely slow reader, at a certain point in the book (once you realize that it’s meditation that makes Mr. Harris 10% Happier), I wanted to know how to utilize it in my life. At that point, the thought of being left alone in silence in my own head seemed like a terrifying idea. “I already spend too much time in there,” I thought. However, I decided to do the 7 day free trial and see what it was all about. I was told that this app might be better received by men, but I’m a young woman that prefers this app over others that I was told would be geared more toward women. I LOVE the fact that every session has an intro video for the person to hear about the meditation they’re about to practice. I’m so happy to report that the hype in my head that this would be a scary experience, was in fact wrong. This app has become my GO TO for relaxation, acceptance of my feelings, and the tool to help me process my thoughts and emotions. It seems a little spendy at first, but when you break that year subscription down by month, it’s really not bad and also, worth every penny!

After 1 week, I am sold. Simply taking a few minutes out of my day to reflect and focus my thoughts has made for an interesting experience. When I first started, I couldn’t see past the restlessness I felt inside; I found myself focusing too deeply on the back and forth rocking sensation I felt as my heart beat, and was surprised by how much motion was still occurring beyond my control as I intentionally attempted to be still and clear my mind. Today, I am finding myself more aware of many other sensations going on inside me — the rocking motion, I can still feel but only as I focus my awareness on my heart beating instead of my nostrils flaring or my wandering thoughts. I’ve been so impressed with meditation, I’ve convinced my wife to give it a try as well, and now we both plan time before bed to be guided through the basics of meditation. Now she’s hooked as well! I know this is only the beginning, but I’m very excited to see where this leads. If I can feel this way after only a week, I can only assume the benefits of making it a regular practice. So very glad I was introduced to this app, and I highly recommended it!

I’ve not actually engaged in the app as of yet. But i plan to, and am excited about doing so. My correction question is, isn't the person that the description talks about Sam Harris not Dan Harris. I would think you are aware of the error by now but you never know. i could be mistaken, but that is not likely, as i try to see and hear as much of Sam Harris as i can. When i first came across his efforts i was and i guess still am listening to Alan Watts. Sam was maybe the third person in my life that spoke my language. That is, he would often confirm for me ideas and conclusions i had knocking around in my head for a long time and newer thoughts as well. Soon as that kind of thing happens, well, thats a friend of mine. Anyway, its amazing to me how after he lectures, people can still find ways to fool themselves in order to continue believing something that is so clearly inaccurate. If the statements in this article about Dan Harris are in fact true, allow me the convenience of saying thank you Sam, you are appreciated to the extreme. Please continue in your roll as the leader of our crusade. Peace to you and yours

This is wonderful, possibly the most positive change in my life this year. I have briefly tried other popular meditation apps, and I still think 10% Happier is the best. I love the lessons - giving me a sense of progress and guiding me to think about specific issue areas, like relationship and focus, I also use the individual guided recordings all the time for sleep, or when I find some time to meditate during the day. I appreciate that you get to know the names, voices and styles of the teachers - Joseph, Oren... - because meditation shouldn’t be an anonymous, faceless thing. Being aware of the teachers make me appreciate this as an individual journey that we each have to travel alone, but with each other’s help. I came to appreciate Dan’s interactions with them too because his self-deprecating humor makes me feel that I don’t need to be in a rush and even the most fidgety and skeptical of us can get this too. I feel very lucky to find this as my introduction to meditations. The app is very thoughtful and well-designed, I would certainly recommend it to others!