This sounds cool. How can i check it out?
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aliabramovitz commented on Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators · Posted by u/aliabramovitz
Well, that's sorta what I'm more familiar with - the 'dana' model - there's plenty of sangha orgs that have operated online during the pandemic (e.g. https://sfdharmacollective.org ).
The teachers may also have other offerings that are more paid upfront that are more 1-on-1 or small groups.
"What we are trying to do is bridge the gap for people who find traditional techniques challenging so that they can avoid the discouraging feeling of “I’m doing this wrong” and empower them to develop their own mindfulness practice. Another thing we do to support our users in the early stages of practice is provide a community in which they can share their experiences and get encouragement to keep going."
Part of me has a visceral pushback, but I understand this may work for some people. I just hope, out of respect, there's a pointer to the traditional techniques for those realizing that this practice may not be the right fit for some. The worst thing you can do is dissuade people or disrespect neighboring teachers (see https://seattleyoganews.com/northwest-yoga-conference-incide... ).
Absolutely! While we are crafting an experience we hope resonates for people for whom the traditional teachings have not, we certainly pay homage to where the traditions come from when we talk about the practice, for example at the start of class, or in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUJhfjxvNDE&feature=youtu.be or in this blog post https://chorusmeditation.com/blog/founder-friday-mk-on-our-p...
aliabramovitz commented on Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators · Posted by u/aliabramovitz
Yeah, naming is tough! If you're guiding people from something that resembles pranayama to eventually dhyana then I guess calling it meditation would be fine. I'd just make it clear to your students that working with the breath is a preliminary practice, to help them to begin to recognize awareness. And in particular not to attach to the high that comes with exercises like this, chasing sensation. That could set them back when they need to learn about samatha, because vipassana eventually requires it (see, for example, mahamudra teachings).
That is SUCH great advice - and particularly the part about encouraging them not to chase the high. thank you so much for your input!!
aliabramovitz commented on Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators · Posted by u/aliabramovitz
What we call Yoga in the west is mostly appropriation. The rest is misunderstanding because the concept does not fit in thinking western minds.
The best we get is what tae bo is to professional boxing.
Source: conversations and experiences with someone who had the fortune to study both in New Delhi yoga university and with a Yoga lineage in the Himalayas.
The official university still didn’t touch, or know, of essential elements of the practices. Whether intentionally hidden or forgotten, they are completely unheard of in the West.
In the west we have Yoga laptops for heavens sake.
Thank you for your input! Our feeling is that we give deep reverence to the traditional practices and the thousands of years of wisdom with which they come, and we are attempting to help other people who haven't connected with those forms develop a mindfulness practice that does connect for them. We believe if more people in the world are practicing mindfulness the world will be a kinder, more compassionate place.
aliabramovitz commented on Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators · Posted by u/aliabramovitz
I find it a little problematic when these ancient practices are separated from their broader context. There are further, unknown implications by doing so. It is similar to what was done with what we call "Yoga" here in the west. I am not saying that these practices cannot evolve, they must. But they are certainly part of a tradition that has been coherently applied and studied for centuries.
In my opinion the result of this type of approach is a diluted, incomplete practice, focused mainly on symptom relief, which tends to forget the heart of the matter.
There is nothing wrong with taking these practices as inspiration to help people, and I think your approach is a good way to bring them to know more about these practices.
But perhaps you should bring a little more of the philosophical/theological side to this modern take on meditation, something like what Stephen Batchelor is doing with his Secular Buddhism.
Thank you so much for your feedback! We like to stay away from those aspects as it can be off putting for people who don't subscribe to a certain philosophy or theology. We, instead try to make more approachable for everyone where you don't need to believe in anything other than spreading kindness to yourself and others. We certainly pay homage to where the traditions come from when we talk about the practice, for example at the start of class, or in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUJhfjxvNDE&feature=youtu.be or in this blog post https://chorusmeditation.com/blog/founder-friday-mk-on-our-p...
aliabramovitz commented on Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators · Posted by u/aliabramovitz
This looks interesting. I've tried mindfulness and meditation on and off for over a decade (mostly mindfulness) and struggle as much now to keep focus and not drift into continuing internal conversations as I did when I started.
Recently I have realised I have many Attention Deficit Disorder traits, and likely have ADD.
What's your experience of meditation and people with ADD? How does the practice change for them, and what works best?
I am SO glad you asked this. Meditation is amazing for people who struggle with attention. Essentially what you are doing in meditation is training the brain to be able to stay focused on one thing and that, just like with any other muscle, makes your brain better at this over time. The kind of meditation that is the most effective for helping with focus and things like ADD is called "Focused Attention." In this kind of meditation you focus on an object of focus and dont let you mind drift away. In Chorus we do TONS of focused attention techniques. Essentially what you want is a "concrete object of attention" - so something like a mantra (a phrase you repeat over and over) would be more concrete than say, just feeling your breath. We designed Chorus to give people super concrete objects to focus on so its easier to get into that meditative state.
Since starting to meditate myself I have become way better at reading speed, comprehension and overall focus has improved dramatically.
Here is a study that talks about it: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/108705470730850...
aliabramovitz commented on Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators · Posted by u/aliabramovitz
The trial still requires full name, email address, and for me to create a password.
The docsend video requires an email address, and rejects "a@example.com" as fake, so it wants a real email address, which implies to me you want to collect it for marketing / lead generation purposes.
Is there any reason you can't put a one or two minute "example" meditation video on YouTube?
Go ahead and just use my email [redacted] (its a security setting for our other documents)
its hard to convey the full vibe in 2 minutes - for a couple explanation videos we do have on youtube check out these:
aliabramovitz commented on Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators · Posted by u/aliabramovitz
So is this some sort of hyperventilation breathwork done in savasana to pop music? I guess as long as the breath retentions aren't super long they should be ok, as long as the practitioner doesn't have underlying health issues, but I've seen videos of people having mini seizures doing Wim Hof breathing. Just be careful with it, there's a reason why pranayama is introduced gently and progressively over a long period of time.
Also, I would maybe drop the references to meditation. It seems more like breathwork in the tradition of a Stanislav Grof, which is totally fine and valid, just maybe misleading for newcomers expecting meditation.
Super great comments. Our class is split between the breathwork and then also traditional Vipassana or Insight style meditation. One of the reasons we don't typically describe it as "breathwork" is for the reasons you highlight and have been raised in other comments regarding how the Gof breathwork is supppppper intense. Our method is MUCH more tame and approachable - fitting for a daily practice -- vs when I've done the Grof style I feel completely wiped (in a good way sometimes) but not something Id like to do more than once every few months. All to say - we try and stay away from calling it breathwork because people either 1) think its Grof and are freaked out or 2) think its chill yogic breathing like you do through the nostrils in a yoga class and that’s misleading too. We also have grappled with if we should call it meditation and have decided for the time being that yes - it helps people context set - and the way we use the breath (which is different than the full blown Grof version) together with the beat of music and teachers voice is similar to meditation in that you have an "object of focus" you train the mind to stay on. Would love to hear if you have any ideas for what else to call it - cuz we totally have gone back and forth on this topic.
aliabramovitz commented on Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators · Posted by u/aliabramovitz
I'm unwilling to give you my email address for a demo.
just put in mine: [redacted] (its a security setting for our other documents) - sorry about that
aliabramovitz commented on Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators · Posted by u/aliabramovitz
so far everything (trial, videos, etc.) that you are selling is behind sharing something of a PII.
Why? I just want to try the shoes on before buying.
heres a trial that you dont need to put any cc info in:
https://sutrapro.com/chorusmeditation/pricing/checkout/EbHZD...
and for the video on docsend, its not a paid wall - just put in your email and you can view: https://docsend.com/view/hxra3rnfevsytg4v