I spent 10 days using the popular mindfulness app Headspace — this is what it's like

Headspace

Headspace is a startup with one simple goal: Make meditation accessible to everyone.

It does this through a smartphone app full of "guided meditations" — audio sessions where one of the company's co-creators leads listeners on a journey of contemplation.

Headspace's app is designed for the totally uninitiated. It expects that you've never meditated before and that you may not understand the "point" of meditation practice. Its goal is to teach you the foundational aspects of meditation in your first 10 days of using the app.

The company is banking that at least some users will like the app enough to shell out for a pricey monthly or annual subscription.

So, does it succeed? Yes and no. This is how my first 10 days with Headspace went:

Headspace is focused on secular, mindfulness-based meditation.

The history of meditation is deep, stretching back to before the beginning of the Current Era. Without going too far into the weeds, it's important to understand the difference between meditation as part of Hindu and Buddhist traditions on the one hand and secular mindfulness meditation on the other.

Headspace doesn't purport to offer enlightenment or to explain the concept of Samsara — the endless cycle of suffering, death and rebirth that is at the center of those Indian religions. Instead, the app aims to teach "the essentials of living a healthier, happier life."

Though the principle of the practice is very similar — watching your breath — the underpinnings of each are drastically different. Headspace is based in modern science, while Buddhist and Hindu meditation is based on the writings and teachings of various spiritual leaders.

In many ways, Headspace feels like Buddhism-lite. It's got all the flavor of spiritual meditation with none of the religious underpinnings. That's not a huge surprise, as one of the app's founders is an ordained Buddhist monk. His goal with the app is to bring meditation to people who might not have tried it otherwise.

You can come to Headspace with zero meditation experience — In fact, it's probably better if you do.

Headspace's first 10 sessions, which are part of the app's "Basics" pack of guided meditations, are aimed at people who haven't ever meditated. Rather than getting into the historic roots of meditation, the app immediately aims to simplify the concept into something palatable for everyone.

It starts off explaining how to meditate:

— Find a place sit, either on a cushion or a chair.

— Straighten your back, sitting comfortably without slouching.

— Close your eyes, and breathe.

Though these steps also apply to Buddhist meditation teaching, Headspace puts them in the context of mindfulness meditation.

The app doesn't offer escape from the endless cycle of suffering of Samsara, as Buddhists might put it. Instead it promises something more grounded in everyday live — to give you "some headspace."

Headspace uses a simple reminder system to help beginners remember to meditate.

Before taking on the challenge of a meditation practice, the initial barrier to overcome is setting aside time every day. It's easy to forget to meditate or to put it off.

The first thing the app does is to help users schedule a time for meditation — and to set up a notification that reminds them each day at that time. This is an especially smart feature for beginners. It helps you establish a routine, and it can be easily stopped if you no longer require the heads-up.

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