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I’m a big fan of Sam Harris’ writing and podcast (Making Sense) but his meditation app, Waking Up, has been huge this year. His 28-day intro course and subsequent lessons, conversations and myriad practice sessions are well worth the subscription price tag (though Harris and his team allow those who can’t afford a subscription a free year till their luck changes). I couldn’t recommend a more important practice in a time filled with this much uncertainty and despair. At the very least, you’ll be taking 10 minutes out of your day to chill out. At its best, you’ll be taking the steps necessary to become a more calculated, attentive and mindful human.
Dec 22, 2020
Related Recs
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You might first need to do some research on what sort of meditating you might be interested in, but if you're looking for mindfulness with none of the spiritual woo woo, I've used this app for years on and off and really like it. There's an intro section to help get you started, new daily meditations, and lots of lecture series if you want to dig in a bit further. I mostly just listen to the daily meditations.
Mar 25, 2024
Like anything else that lots of people are telling me to do, I resisted meditation for ages (that’s my contrarian complex). The continuous search for purpose finally broke me down and I tried meditation, starting with short, guided practices on insight timer.
This app has everything! Meditations, courses, music, trackers, and the eponymous timer. I am consistently impressed with the functionality of the app and the quality content that teachers generously share. If you’re using the free version and a particular piece of content really resonates, you can easily send money to the creator.
Plus, once you get into it, meditation is like free entertainment, advice, and connection, all in one.
Feb 26, 2025
If you’re super busy but still want to sneak in some meditation, Simple Habit is pretty handy. It’s got these quick five-minute sessions that are perfect when you’re short on time. Plus, they have meditations for stuff like stress and sleep, which is great. You might want to give it a shot! Just a heads-up, though, it does cost $12 a monthly and $60 a yearly.
Jun 10, 2024
Top Recs from @christopher-fenimore
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While Land of Talk, the project of singer and guitarist Elizabeth Powell, has not made a bad song, 2010’s Cloak and Cipher is my favorite album from their catalogue. I’ve found that the coolest bands defy genre conventions and that’s true in Land of Talk’s case. Is it Indie Rock? Is it Emo? Who gives a shit. Quarry Hymns is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard and I listen to a lot of music. They’re also flawless live.
Dec 22, 2020
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Eric Weinstein might be the smartest person with a podcast. I’m really not a podcast person (too many people think their voices need to be heard) but the sheer range of topics he can cover with authority is out of control. He’s a polymath in the truest sense. Guests include Werner Herzog, Bret Easton Ellis, Andrew Yang, Ashley Matthews (aka pornstar Riley Reid), Kai Lenny, Sir Roger Penrose… the list goes on. My favorites are #17 with Anna Khachiyan of Red Scare and #27 with Daniel Schmachtenberger, a “neurohacker” you’ve certainly never heard of but trust me here.
Dec 22, 2020
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Hands down the best store in New York and nowhere else comes close. It’s tucked away on Bond Street in SoHo and its owner, Sweetu Patel, keeps it stocked with a perfect mix of wardrobe essentials. He also designs a flawless house brand. It’s an insider’s store. There’s nothing fussy or trendy to find here. It’s clean, it’s simple, and it’s rare that 90% of a store’s stock calls one’s name but C’H’C’M does just that. Plus, there’s always someone well-dressed perusing the shop’s wares and if that’s not a marker that you’re in the right place, I’m not sure what is.
Dec 22, 2020