FitMind
Science-based mental fitness
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Bram Kanstein (@bramk)

FitMind - A science-based meditation training app

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Startup Stash
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FitMind is an in-depth, systematic meditation training program delivered in an app. We created meditations and lessons by consulting neuroscientist and monks alike, and have taught these methods in workshops at Fortune 500 companies, schools and more.

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Liam McClintock
Maker
Hey Product Hunters, First of all thank you to @bramk for hunting FitMind and to @razkarmi , who originally hunted it! When I was younger, I was diagnosed with OCD and then ADHD. I tried everything from therapy to pills, but nothing worked all that well. Finally I discovered a powerful tool for gaining control of my mind: meditation. With practice, I was able to eventually get off of the pills and reclaim my sanity. A couple of years ago, I quit my job in finance to study meditation full-time in Asia and later started FitMind, teaching meditation at schools, non-profits, Fortune 500 companies, and government organizations. We wanted to scale this program, so we decided to build an app. The FitMind app brings a scientific approach to meditation and explains how each technique systematically trains the mind. You can think of it as a mental trainer + psychological user manual for the mind. We consulted neuroscientists and monks alike (see the guests on the FitMind Podcast) in building this meditation program, which goes deep into over 25 different techniques (such as Headless Way, Self-Inquiry, Cancel-Cancel, Yoga Nidra, Lucid Dreaming and Actualism), as opposed to most other apps that primarily just teach mindfulness meditation (not that there is anything wrong with this, but there are so many other techniques that train the mind in unique ways!). I dream of a world in which our society pays as much attention to our "mental fitness" as we do our physical fitness. Hopefully this app can help. Looking forward to your feedback and questions! Much love, Liam
Paul Shuteyev
@liammccl Hi Liam, FitMind looks awesome! How about an interview about it at StartupRadius.com? Send me an email to Paul(at)StartupRadius.com if interested!
Jenny Scherl
I wasn't a "good" or diligent meditator until FitMind! I use this every day and have loved the experience!
Peter Dewire
I am a big fan of FitMind and how the app teaches you the science behind what’s going on in your brain. Very effective.
Christian
Love the design and intro tutorial. How much does it cost?
Liam McClintock
Maker
Thank you! The first week is currently free and then $4.99/month, a significant reduction from other meditation apps
Marc Bielas
What differentiates this from other meditation apps? Seems like the space is a little saturated these days. Ive tried all of the apps and have a hard time keeping up a meditation routine. So definitely looking for something with a different approach that engages me from both an intellectual perspective and a mindfulness perspective.
Liam McClintock
Maker
@marc_bielas Thank you for the support and thoughtful questions. I think there are really 4 key areas that set FitMind apart from other meditation apps: 1. Western psychological explanations of each meditation technique 2. A systematic progression through exceedingly "advanced" methods 3. Daily Challenges that help you integrate your meditation practice into everyday life 4. The ability to ask questions about your practice in the app to the FitMind team The app provides guidance that starts with the basics and becomes progressively more "advanced" (as most teachers would define them). It moves from focused attention to open awareness and then natural awareness practices/glimpses etc. You go through the full spectrum of awareness practices, experiencing different shifts of mind. These come primarily from Advaita and Dzogchen and are either not taught on other apps or hardly taught at all in the West. They are very powerful and just starting to make their way to the West, as many of these teachings were not allowed beyond the confines of their traditions for thousands of years.
Will Moore
Who's been your most formative meditation teacher?
Liam McClintock
Maker
@will_moore2 I would say Richard Lang and Loch Kelly
TJ Dembinski
Just checked it out, slick design and unique content (I hadn’t heard of self-inquiry meditation before). Had been a big fan of the other meditation apps but will be using FitMind now
Max Proulx
When will it be available on Android?
Liam McClintock
Maker
@max_proulx That's up next - hoping 2020! Thanks for your support
Lucien Dubois
@max_proulx @liammccl Any waitlist for Android ?
Ken Lyle
@max_proulx @liammccl @lucien_dubois How about here? Waitlist, please
Liam McClintock
Maker
@max_proulx @lucien_dubois @ken_lyle If you sign up for my weekly newsletter at www.fitmind.co I'll be sure to let you know when the Android version is out. Thank you for your interest!
biotech beau
Great app. Have used a number of these as they have come out. Found this one to be particularly thoughtful and striking a good balance between Western science and Eastern tradition. Would recommend!
Ellen Choi
Interesting offering into what I agree is a very crowded space. I am a big fan of Vipassana meditation, and my impression is that it's not good to mix and match different styles of meditation. Seems like FitMind does this? It would be nice to give more product detail on the landing page rather than asking me straight up for my phone number, since that makes me less likely to try.
Liam McClintock
Maker
@lnchoi Thanks for your input here and I regret not making the landing page our home website: www.fitmind.co. While some meditation teachers tell you to stick with one technique, others believe there is value in sampling from the buffet before choosing your "meal." One of my personal mentors, Culadasa (a.k.a. John Yates, Ph.D.), wrote the Mind Illuminated, perhaps the most widely-read guide to Vipassana, yet he recommended I explore other methods as well. I think it is good to eventually go deep in one practice that works for you (as SN Goenka says, "If you keep digging shallow holes, you'll never build a well."), but everyone's mind is different. There's a risk for someone to practice Vipassana for decades and never try another method that may have been quite beneficial to them. I hope this answers your question. FitMind aims to present many different methods of meditation as an introduction, whereby someone could acquire many tools and then decide which ones are worth pursuing long-term.
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