10% Happier with Dan Harris - Podcast Rankings and reviews

I stumbled upon Dan Harris’ podcast in 2020 when I googled ‘Buddhist podcasts’. I wasn’t sure I would like the podcast initially, but after one episode, it felt like coming home. I love Dan’s approach to guests and topics because it’s relatable, backed by science, and life changing. Yes, I know that sounds cliche, but diving in to Dan’s podcast led me to his 10% Happier app (an app for meditation). His app made meditation approachable and doable. This meditation practice introduced me to meditation teachers like Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, Tara Brach and so many others which has now led me to deepen my meditation and Buddhist practice. In the almost 3 months of almost daily-ish practice and podcasts, I feel I’m beginning to understand myself and the world more. To be less a prisoner to my emotions and really start to build skillful responses to daily thoughts and events. From the bottom of my heart, Thank you!

One of my yoga students recommended this podcast to me and I’ve been hooked ever since. I notice that even if I’m having an awful day, by the time I’ve finished listening, I usually feel lighter and able to see life more clearly. I attribute that to the beautiful energy of Dan’s guests- hearing them in their presence helps evoke the same in me. Dan is so genuine and curious that he is such a pleasure to listen to as a host. I can’t say enough good things. Grateful for the positive impact this has in my life; thank you!

This podcast was so helpful I ended up purchasing the App. I have suffered with sever panic disorder for the last 38 years. This podcast and the app make me feel once again like I am driving the ship in body!! The quality of instructors and host are incredible and the compassion and understanding the show is unrivaled. Keep it going !!

I love this podcast. Interviews with amazing mindfulness practitioners and researchers conducted with humility humor and openness that is really the right match for subject. I never fail to learn something I can use. Each episode bears repeated listening. This is an absolute treasure. I’ve been recommending it emphatically to everyone I know but now that I’ve run out of friends and family to recommend it to I’m writing this review.

I generally love the conversations on this podcast - I find them helpful and insightful. This review is about the guided "bonus" meditations, however, which I think could be improved significantly if the speakers slowed down their speech. I've found that the guides speak way too quickly and as a result don't invite a sense of calm, but instead provoke irritation and anxiety in me. I do try my best to stay grounded, centered, focused, and non-reactive in spite of it all, but it's challenging in the midst of the constant chatter. I had to check my phone settings to make sure I didn't have 1.5x speed turned on. I do think there is potential for the guided meditations to be great, as the content of what the speakers say is valuable, but the experience would be greatly improved if they took time to pause between each sentence.

Be prepared to have the podcast interrupted with 25% ads, including suddenly an ad for a new podcast on exorcism demons amidst discussing mindfulness (?!) and problematic therapy apps, that I can’t imagine the host would ever promote. It’s just really disappointing and in bad taste - clearly their profit interest is greater than trying to spread the word about the actual content/interviews. It’s especially bad when they follow up a 5 minute meditation with an ad that automatically starts playing.