I cannot rate this app enough. If you listen to Sam’s podcast, you’ll be familiar with his straight forward manner, which in this context makes for an enjoyable experience without needing to align your chakras. It is quite simply, how to think better.

Wonderful, deeply rewarding journey into meditation practice, guided by Sam Harris and featuring daily practice and lessons on the value of practiced mindfulness. Customer service is brilliant too and responsive to any concerns or suggestions you have on improving the user experience. Perfect level of depth for beginners and experts alike.

In the book Waking Up, Sam describes how enlightenment can be taught quickly using the Dzogchen method. I have learned from this app, but it often feels like someone pointing at one of those Magic Eye illusions and saying, “Look! It's there! Look harder! Look harder! It's there! Look!” I wish the app had feedback mechanisms so Sam could understand on a granular level which exercises—or even which sentences—are effective and which are failing to get the message across. Every time I hear certain sentences, I think the same questions—“What do you mean by…?”—but there's no way to ask them. At the moment, the app doesn't do anything an audio CD couldn't. If the app had a feedback mechanism—or if Sam were to test the lessons using a medium that does, like Periscope or Zoom—then I think the speed bumps in the content could be ironed out, dramatically so. As it stands, for me, it doesn't quite make the level of the book The Mind Illuminated and the audiobook Shift Into Freedom. I suspect with a bit of editing and iteration it could be better than those.

I’ve been really enjoying Sam Harris’ app and find it to be very useful. I love the neuroscience/ philosophy bent to most of the instructions he gives.

A couple of feature requests:

Extendable length meditations/ longer meditations:

although the meditations are effective, 10 minutes is sometimes not enough and doesn’t indulge those who may want to sit for longer durations. I know there are some 30, 45 and 60 minute meditations on the “Lessons” section of the app, but they contain roughly the same instructions in them.

Guest courses:

I would love to hear from some guest instructors and voices that have been so formative on Sam’s approach to practice. It would be brilliant to have, for example, a Douglas Harding Guest Course or a Joseph Goldstein Advanced Meditators Course as an option.

Thanks for the excellent work.

Amazing app, amazing quality of convent, amazing customer service. 10/10 would recommend 😊

I have tried other meditation apps and have never really stuck to them for some reason. Somewhere along the lines of "oh I don't need a stupid app to show me how to meditate, I'll just go at it buddha style"

But similar to the idea that we have toward a new subject, art form or activity we need to LEARN in order to really make progress, Waking up does this with Mindfulness.

Rather than wasting time trying to "meditate" alone, Sam's way of guiding, explaining and transmitting the practice is something that is incredibly invaluable.

The meditations are short and insightful and the lessons are great too (love the philosophical spin they have).

This app is simply head and shoulders above the rest out there. So simple to do and the guidance is balanced perfectly. Not to forget the lessons which are thought provoking and challenge our preconceived ideas.

Whether they are able to continue the progress and development moving forward remains to be seen in order to justify the monthly fees, but for now nothing comes close to this app.

Well done Sam Harris and team.

Sam’s considered guidance towards meditating has helped instill a sense of agency. I certainly feel more comfortable and confident with the concept and practice of meditation. His concise guidance has enabled me to dedicate the time each day needed to stay consistent with my practice. It has been the building blocks towards giving me the valuable tools for a life time practice of meditation.

I felt the need to share my thoughts on this wonderful app. I’ve been meditating daily now since mid November, I have tied to practice daily in the past but never stuck at it. Sam explains clearly what the practice is and is for. Just before writing this I wanted to check how many days in a row I had practised when I discovered the total minutes figure and as the title states it was 1448 which has made me smile. The lessons alongside the guided meditations really help me explore my state of consciousness more than anything I’ve tried before. Can’t recommend this enough.

Just done day 50. Thank you Sam this app is life changing. Meditation is now a permanent part of my life thanks to you

Love it

Sam has changed my life through this app. It is so beyond all the other meditation apps I have tried. It helps you to develop a much deeper understanding of yourself. The lessons permeate into your working life in so many wonderful and important ways. Highly highly recommended

Sam’s clear, insightful approach has really helped me cut through all the clutter. I am much more able to be mindful outside of my formal meditation sessions and have a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of mindfulness as a result of this course and Sam’s other work.

My only frustration is that the sessions don’t stretch beyond 10 mins. Is there a particular reason for this, Sam? Or any plans for longer sessions on the horizon?

Many thanks for sharing your wisdom.

I have tried (and liked) Calm and Insight Timer and I have tried (and not got on with) Headspace and 10% Happier, but this app is the best by far. It is very simple in format, offering only guided meditation sessions and lessons with a clear structure how to follow these. I like Sam’s voice and the guidance is very focused and clear. There is a timer for self-guided sessions. It is more expensive than the other apps but works out at less than the price of a daily coffee. All in all I am highly delighted to have found it and feel that this will finally encourage me to keep to a daily meditation practice, to enjoy my meditation and to develop as a meditator.

I never write reviews, but this app deserves it! I love that the app has lessons as well as guided meditations. I love that each day the meditations are different but have compounding effects.

Most of all I love the generosity of the company. Why aren’t more businesses like this!

I have to agree with many of the reviews here: this app is amazing. I have to say that I feel I had a grounding in meditation before starting to use the app, having used other well known apps and sources of mindfulness meditation guidance regularly for 18 months or so. I therefore don’t know what it would have been like to come to this as the first app I tried and it has crossed my mind that it might be even more effective if you have some experience before starting the course, but I could be wrong. I leave that to people whose experience of meditation began with this app to say.

As it is I have been blown away by the steady, clear and expert guidance. Sam seems to have a focus on giving you glimpses through the illusion of self which I have found very helpful to take my meditation to the next level. His description of this as being a ‘superficial’ rather than a ‘deep’ feature of consciousness and his advice regarding the potentially transformative effect of even glimpsing this illusion, have both been incredibly helpful.

The combination of lessons with the guided meditation sessions is very effective (and for me essential) to really getting a better idea of how to meditate.

I’ve been using the app for 4 months now. So far I’ve meditated for almost 1800 minutes.

I applaud Sam for creating this amazing app. I’ve tried headspace and calm before but I think ‘waking up’ is the best.

I would recommend the app to anyone who wants to meditate but doesn’t know where to start as it helped me a lot to create a meditating habit.

The first few weeks of meditating made me realise how chaotic my mind was and how many thoughts were constantly going through my head. It truly made me understand what does the term ‘monkey mind’ mean. Here I was thinking that I had everything under control, including my head. And I was very wrong!

I’m writing this review because Sam asked for feedback and I think it would be great to have a few longer sessions. I like doing 10 min daily meditation, however I’d love to have other options, for example 15, 20 and 25 minutes would be perfect. I’ve done 45 minute session and I must admit it was quite painful (I’m definitely not ready for 60 min yet...).

Also would you be able to link the app to vitality health insurance? I’ve seen that other meditation apps are linked and I feel that I’m missing out.

All in all thank you again for creating this app, I have benefited greatly and I’ll keep using it! Definitely a must have.

Sam Harris’s Waking Up is the real deal. Invaluable insight into seeing things as they really are. I love it.

Having tried some of the other guided mediation apps out there, which are decent, I have found this one to be head and shoulders above the rest. The way Sam articulates the lessons is just brilliant, and I could not recommend subscribing to the course more - fully worth it.

I love this app: it is perfectly designed, and the content is genuinely life changing. I use it every day, and am currently on the meditation for day 27. If only more people could find and fall in love with this app, as I have.

The voice I can’t get beyond a few minutes, it’s the company man from Aliens right?Carter Burke. He’s making meditation apps and true to his role, their extortionate. This is nothing new or clever it’s already been written down for free, putting someone else information on to an app and actually charging money is .... well it’s pure Carter Burke.

Thank you so much for helping me with the subscription! For me it’s a life changing app. It’s now essential for me, it works in all aspects of my life. I feel much more equipped in my day to day tasks.

I’ve used a few mindfulness apps but I think this is one of the best, it has somewhat of a slow pace at first but does pick up nicely.

Sam Harris and his app has transformed my life. I’d been meditating for about a year following Goenka’s Vipassana technique before I stumbled across Sam’s app. I cannot praise it highly enough. It is truly exceptional. I have never gained as much insight and revelation into the nature of my mind, into consciousness and existence itself, than through following Sam’s guidance. Crystal clear clarity, eloquently explained, warm and encouraging... Sam is the perfect meditation teacher and his technique is faultless. If you are curious about the nature of reality, curious about who you are, do not hesitate in getting on board with this incredible app! Thank you immeasurably Sam, this- YOU- have changed the whole trajectory of my life for the better.

Prior to the release of this app I had been meditating for 3 years using another service. However, in the half a year of daily guided meditations from Sam Harris I have made overwhelmingly more personal progress along my path to being a happier, more compassionate, and more spiritual person.

There are many meditation apps, but I implore you to use this one.

I had no idea meditation could be so powerful. I’ve tried other apps and you tube meditation which are fine but Sam explains so clearly. The lessons alone are worth the fee, I listen them over and over, they never fail to get me feeling more focused and humble.

I’m giving this 5 stars because the benefits I’ve noticed have been magnificent. I’m better at seeing my thoughts and not allowing them to control my actions. I can concentrate for longer and I’m just so much more present in life. However I did find that the initial episodes are not as easy as they could be for someone who has never practiced meditation before and has no idea what they are doing.

Despite this I do think this app has taught me so much more than any of its competitors have. If you can grasp the lessons this will teach you how to deepen your meditation and truly gain all the benefits we hear about in studies and articles.

What separates this app out from the all the other meditation / mindfulness apps out there is the volume of undiluted rich content.

Waking up not only starts you on the journey of meditation but Sam Harris takes you deeper with each session (50 in total) imparting an abundance of thoroughly researched and tried and tested information. If it’s a question of value for money, this is a no brainer, you will gain far more than what this sum of money will buy in our retail saturated world - the money back guarantee says it all. Finally, the lessons are also extremely good, well thought through and narrated. All so helpful, an app for life.

Fantastic. It has really helped me. This was recommended by my dad. So I am definitely recommending it also!!

I have been trying to get into the habit of mediating for over 15 years now. I've tried all sorts of things and courses. This is the best by far. I feel like I'm really starting to understand what meditation actually is, and I'm actually sticking with it. I have panic disorder, and I never thought I would be able to meditate whilst feeling at all anxious, because before, paying any attention to those feelings would make them worse. I'm just starting to change my relationship with feelings of panic, and I can now meditate when feeling a little bit panicky. I'm really pleased with this change, and I feel like it's helping me with my panic disorder in general. Thank you for such a wonderful app

I’ve waited 2 week of using the app before writing a review. It really changes the way you see yourself, your mind, your thoughts, everything. I’m by no means at the apex, but I’m using the techniques that Sam Harris puts forward to gain a new perspective. Its a beautiful thing.

I had used a handful of meditation apps before this one but none explained the practice as well as Sam. The lessons are really helpful too! The making sense podcast and book waking up are also highly recommended by Sam Harris! :)

I am a long time follower of Sam Harris' work and listener of his podcast but I was skeptical of meditation before trying out the Waking Up app. I started using the app during a difficult period of my life. It was hard work when I first started out but I am making progress. Sam's daily meditations and lessons have helped me control my emotions and helped me manage my anxieties. I would recommend that people give it a shot, even if they are apprehensive.

Very clean and easy to use. Unlike most online meditation courses; it seems to effortlessly navigate you towards learning more about not only meditation but your own mind. The initial 50 day course has obviously been very well thought out.

A very sound, measured and useful approach to mindfulness and meditation which treads a self-conscious path within the limits of secular understanding. It feels as if Sam Harris has capped the extent of his spiritual enquiry to the safety of what is knowable, perhaps out of concern for suggesting living with a sense of not knowing. He sits somewhat uneasily inside the boundary of what can be understood, with his sharp analytical mind glimpsing the tantalising possibility of a magic that is attainable only by remaining open and at one with it, ie through having some kind of faith. Having said that, this is one of the best meditation apps I have come across and as someone who is non-religious myself, I highly recommend it both as an insightful and entertaining resource and as an instructional tool for personal self-improvement.

So refreshing to have someone clear the shroud of mystery around meditation and break it down into precise, clear and understandable instructions and goals. I never thought I could get excited about meditation - it just seemed like a long hard slog with a very distant carrot dangling ahead. This app and method of practice makes every moment of mediation engaging and actually fun.

Soothing voice of Sam Harris combined with deep understanding of the topic delivered with great oratory skills works like a charm and helps in many important ways.

This is by far the best meditation app I’ve used. Walks you through the practice at a nice pace and with clear instruction. It has helped me establish a regular practice - something I’ve never been able to do before - and I now look forward to it each day. Love the lessons too: concise and full of wisdom. Can’t rate this app highly enough.

I’ve tried meditation over 30 or so years but it didn’t make any sense to me, perhaps because I never really had any stress to escape, this app however after only a couple of mins was a revelation, a lightbulb moment.

Really think it’s great. Excellent work from Sam and the team.

Great meditation this morning Sam! More loving kindness please...on the app, and in the world generally...thanks for your wonderful work, Keith

This is the third mediation app I have tried and am enjoying it the most hands down so far. I still use Calm (in the morning), but I’m loving slipping a second session each day with the Sam Harris’ app. Expect to use exclusively when subscriptions to other apps are finished. You will enjoy this!!

Having practiced on my own for many months these guided meditations have lead to great progress, I believe the short talks also included have really enhanced the practice

To say the app has been a help to me would be a massive understatement. The lessons and meditations are not only extremely accessible and easy to digest, but complement each other perfectly. Side note; I was gifted the app and it’s genuinely in the top two of the most useful and beneficial gifts I have received, to date!

Sam has managed to introduce awakening to a huge amount of people, without all the vagueness and fluff that goes alongside it in religious/spiritual circles. I can now introduce this incredibly important, life changing subject to my very rational sciency friends and they listen! For this I am very grateful- wonderful stuff!

Having tried to use Headspace for some time, I couldn't get on with it. App is fine but the narration would bug me and I couldn't relax while trying to mediate.

I have listened to Sam on many podcasts and therefore my thoughts were optimistic on being guided through mediation with a familiar voice...and it was/is. This was the welcome change I needed to help me continue the meditation journey 👍🏼

Excellent ui and sam has such a calming voice with an excellent message.

The app is good, beautifully designed and Sam is really good but the annual subscription is outrageously expensive which is a shame. Yes I can afford it but am I willing to pay £100+ for a years subscription then the answer is no. If it was priced similarly to other well-known apps then I’d sign up but the price is way too speculative and eye-watering.

Over 50 days in and the practise has changed my life. Sounds like hyperbole.

It’s not.