Qualy #94 - Comparing the two broad types of meditation, and Peter's favorite meditation apps
The episode features Sam Harris, Ph.D., discussing mindfulness as the target state to cultivate in meditation. He elaborates on two types of meditation, emphasizing mindfulness (Vipassana) as the deeper practice for breaking the spell of thought and being aware of everything without a conceptual lens.
Deep Dive Analysis
5 Topic Outline
Defining Mindfulness and its Purpose
Distinction Between Two Basic Types of Meditation
Concentration-Based Meditation: Focus and Goals
Mindfulness/Vipassana Meditation: Choiceless Awareness
Applicability of Mindfulness to Daily Life
4 Key Concepts
Being Lost in Thought
This refers to the natural, default mode of the mind where individuals are constantly telling themselves a story without being aware of it. It is identified as the primary obstacle one aims to overcome when learning to meditate.
Concentration-Based Meditation
This type of meditation involves attempting to pay attention to one thing to the exclusion of everything else, aiming for attention to be absorbed in that object. The explicit goal is often to prevent thoughts from arising, which can lead to extraordinarily positive states of mind like bliss and rapture.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the target state cultivated in a popular type of meditation, where one is clearly aware of the object of meditation, overcoming the obstacle of being lost in thought. It involves being aware of everything without perceiving through a conceptual or discursive lens in each moment, often with choiceless attention.
Vipassana (Insight Meditation)
Described as a more fundamental or deeper practice, Vipassana is a type of mindfulness meditation where the goal is not to selectively notice one thing, but to break the spell of distraction by thought. It cultivates awareness of the full range of experience without a conceptual filter, allowing one to notice sounds, sensations, moods, and thoughts clearly.
6 Questions Answered
Mindfulness is the target state cultivated in meditation, aiming to be clearly aware of the object of meditation rather than being lost in thought, which is our default mode.
The primary obstacle is being lost in thought, as our natural default mode is to constantly tell ourselves a story without awareness.
The two basic types are concentration-based meditation (focusing on one thing to exclude others) and mindfulness or Vipassana meditation (being aware of everything without a conceptual lens).
The explicit goal is to absorb attention in one object so well that thoughts no longer arise, potentially producing positive states like bliss and rapture.
In mindfulness meditation, one is not trying to selectively notice one thing but rather to break the spell of distraction by thought, allowing for choiceless awareness of the full range of experience.
Yes, mindfulness meditation is coincident with any experience and can be applied to the full range of experience, such as working out or watching a movie.
10 Actionable Insights
1. Practice Vipassana (Insight) Meditation
Engage in Vipassana, or insight meditation, which is considered a fundamental practice to break free from distraction by thought and perceive everything without a conceptual lens.
2. Apply Mindfulness Universally
Integrate mindfulness into all aspects of your life, as it can be practiced during any experience, such as working out or watching a movie, without exclusion.
3. Practice Choiceless Awareness
Cultivate choiceless awareness in mindfulness meditation by simply noticing whatever arises—sounds, sensations, moods, and thoughts—without the filter of constant thinking.
4. Start Mindfulness, Then Expand
Begin mindfulness practice by focusing on a single object, such as the breath, and then gradually expand this awareness to encompass the full range of your daily experience.
5. Meditate to Overcome Thought
Engage in meditation to move from being lost in thought to being clearly aware of the object of meditation, as thought is the primary obstacle to overcome.
6. Recognize Thought as Obstacle
Understand that being lost in thought is the primary obstacle in meditation, as our default mode involves constantly telling ourselves a story without awareness.
7. Cultivate Positive Attitudes
Use specific positive states of mind like loving-kindness (metta), sympathetic joy, compassion, or equanimity as objects of meditation to intensely inhabit and cultivate these attitudes.
8. Practice Concentration Meditation
In concentration-based meditation, focus intensely on one object (e.g., a mantra) to absorb your attention and reduce the arising of thoughts, which can lead to positive states of mind.
9. Use Meditation Apps
To deepen your meditation practice, utilize readily available meditation apps, as many of them are effective tools for guidance.
10. Find Resonant Meditation Teacher
When using meditation apps or seeking guidance, find a teacher whose explanation style resonates with you, as individual preferences vary; examples include Jeff Warren and Joseph Goldstein.
3 Key Quotes
Thought really is the obstacle one is overcoming when one is learning to meditate. Because our natural, our default mode is to just be lost in thought.
Sam Harris
Mindfulness begins, for most people, as a training on one object, like the breath. But very quickly, it becomes something that you apply to the full range of your experience.
Sam Harris
There's no, there's no, there's no thing that in principle does not admit of mindfulness.
Sam Harris