Bitesize: Meditation, stress and 'enlightenment' - Andy Puddicombe

"In order to experience the mind in its kind of true essence, we need to go beyond intellectual thought to a place of non-duality. It sounds mystical - but actually it's just being aware" - Andy Puddicombe, Headspace founder


Andy Puddicombe was a Buddhist monk for a decade before setting up the most popular meditation app in the world, Headspace. He has helped popularise meditation like few before him – and for that he deserves huge credit. Andy is a lovely bloke too – his motto is "Be present, be patient, be gentle, be kind…everything else will take care of itself”

Andy and I dived into the nitty gritty of meditation, and busted some myths - for example, the idea that meditation is about clearing your mind.But also, the idea that meditation is simply a wellbeing tool. It’s about understanding the nature of mind, and our own true nature.

For example, we are not our thoughts, we are aware of our thoughts, we are not our feelings – we are aware of our feelings. So we are not our thoughts, yet that’s how so many of us relate in the world. We believe we are the story in our heads as well as the identities we have attached to through thinking. But that’s a misconception – we are the space in which the thoughts appear. So often people talk about the surface layer of meditation and neglect its real aim: recognising the truth of our experience. That’s not to say developing a meditation habit to feel better and be more focussed isn’t a noble aim – it is definitely worthwhile, but if you want to go deeper – you most certainly can. Andy's here to explain!


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