It's been a great year at Headspace HQ. We relaunched this blog a couple of weeks ago, with a new design and a new name (the Orange Dot) and we'll be welcoming a range of new contributors over the next few weeks. Today seemed like a good time to take a look back at the best of 2015: whether you're a long time Headspace user or completely new to meditation, we hope you'll enjoy this selection of some of our favorite articles and videos from the year that was.
This short film, exploring the first few days of a new life, was our way of celebrating the launch of the Headspace Pregnancy pack. It also coincided with the launch of Andy's latest book, The Headspace Guide to a Mindful Pregnancy, published in July, which drew on his experiences and those of his wife Lucinda, during her pregnancy with their son Harley.
Andy answers a question about how to deal with troubling images and thoughts which arise during this user's meditation. They're nothing to be worried about, in fact, they might even be a good sign, demonstrating the 'freedom of mind' that meditation can put us in touch with. It's always great to hear about people courageously exploring their practice like this.
How meditation helped one Headspacer suffering with anxiety so extreme he couldn't even see his doctor. A heartwarming story for the end of the year.
Sometimes the most repetitive tasks can be turned into mindfulness exercises, precisely because they're when the mind naturally tends to wander. In this piece, Andy explains how to take something you already do twice a day and turn it into an active meditation.
Our Resident Neuroscientist, Dr. Claudia Aguirre, looks at how prescription antidepressants are drastically on the rise in the US.