How I ditched my meditation app and went “old school” with my mindfulness practice

Do you use a meditation app but wonder if you could go “old-school?”

That’s exactly what I did.

I’ll briefly share my journey and tips I found helpful when first making the switch but first,

a bit about me:

• I’m Chris, an American living in Kanagawa, Japan since 2018.
• I first got interested in mindfulness meditation around 8 years ago after having a profound experience using psychedelics (that’s a story for a different time) and began using the beta version of the Waking Up app, which I continued using as my meditation guide for many years.
• In 2018, I moved to Japan, and my work now involves sharing traditional Japanese crafts with people overseas, so I’m quite passionate about Japan and it’s traditions.

My meditation before Vs. now

Before: I used to rely on my app

• I loved the Waking Up app. It was a fantastic way to start my mindfulness journey, with the clam voice of a seasoned teacher guiding me through the process every day.
• Through the use of the app, I felt like I really got the hang of meditation and became confident that it was something I wanted to continue for the rest of my life.
• But, it got a bit expensive, and I started to wonder if I could go “old school.”

Now: Zazen meditation

• No smartphone needed
• Focuses on posture, breathing, and awareness
• No spirituality required

My journey/How I made the switch

Step 1: Using a meditation timer

• After using the app for several years I started to wonder if I actually needed a guided meditation each time.
• I began experimenting with a simple meditation timer on my phone that would ring at set intervals to bring my mind back from wandering.
• This worked okay, but I still felt that the quality of my meditation was better when I followed a guided meditation.

Step 2: Discovering the simple practice of zazen

• Even after living in Japan for many years, I had never really explored Zen or zazen meditation. In my head, I associated it with religion and mysticism, which turned me off to it.
• However, I happened to read the book Zen Mind Beginners Mind, and realized that Zen was really quite simple and didn’t require any beliefs of any kind to implement.
• I bought a zafu meditation cushion and meditated in the traditional cross-legged zazen position (where both feet rest on the thighs like a pretzel) for the first time.
• It felt cheesy at first, but I soon realized how much of a difference holding good posture made for me. Until then, I usually sat in a normal chair to meditate, without paying much attention to posture, but now it became an integral part of the practice, serving as a constant reminder to be fully present in the moment.
• Now I only do zazen for mindfulness practice, and its simplicity makes it so easy. All I need to do is sit, breathe, and pay attention.

Tips that helped me make the switch

1. Use a timer to start

   1. Jumping straight into completely silent meditation was a bit too much for someone like me who was used to having a guide for each session
   2. A bell ringing at intervals to help me catch my wandering mind was useful at first (and I still use a timer from time to time)

2. Create a “meditation space”

   1. Having a dedicated space for practicing mindfulness helps my brain to shift into “meditation mode” and primes me for a better session (although there’s really no such thing as a “good” or “bad” session in zen)
   2. I also struggle with consistency in my practice, so having a visual cue to remind me to meditate is another benefit

3. Don’t overthink it

   1. I’ve noticed that consistency is really the most important thing when it comes to my meditation practice. Just taking the time to sit each day is what really matters.
   2. Zen teacher Shunru Suzuki also stressed that just sitting with the proper posture was enough. Keeping this in mind helps to make it effortless to continue the practice without needing to think about whether I’m “improving” or “benefiting” from it.

4. Use incense

1. Zazen meditation is usually done with the eyes open, taking in all of the surroundings including sights, sounds, and smells.
2. It is common for people to burn incense, adding another fluctuating scent to notice as you meditate.

My Offer to You

I made this article in the hope that you would find it useful as you consider “going old school” with your meditation practice.

However, I also have an ulterior motive. Let me explain:

I fell in love with a particular single-ingredient incense made in Fukuoka here in Japan and decided to create my own brand to share it with people overseas.

We recently began selling it overseas, and would love for you to try it.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can order on the product page here.

Thank you for reading, and good luck with your transition to "old-school" meditation!