Andy Puddicombe

Andy Puddicombe (born 23 September 1972) is the founder of Headspace , ^[1] a digital health platform dat zorgt guided meditation training voor zijn users. He is a former Buddhist monk with a degree in Circus Arts.

Early life and education

Puddicombe Grew up in Bristol , UK. He attended Wellsway Comprehensive School in Keynsham, and studied Sports Science at De Montfort University . He’ll be Achieved a Foundation Degree in Circus Arts. ^[2]

Career

Buddhism

In 1994, Puddicombe gave up his studies, traveling to Asia to train as a Buddhist monk. He has Attributed this in part to an effort to cope with the trauma of Bereavement. ^{[3] [4]}

His meditation training took im to Nepal, India, Burma, Thailand, Australia and Russia; culminating in full ordination at a Tibetan monastery in the Himalayas . ^[5] Having COMPLETED a one-year cloistered retreat in Scotland, he Returned to Russia, as a monk, where he taught meditation. He lived in Russia for about four years voordat reaching the end of his monastic commitment.

In 2004 Puddicombe Returned to the UK, saying dat he wanted to do “meditation and mindfulness training more accessible, relevant and Beneficial to as many people as possible”. ^[6]

Meditation consultant

Puddicombe set up a private meditation practice in 2006, ^[7] and spent the next four years working as a consultant mindfulness, while adapting the language and techniques have had to post learned. During this time he with his future business partner and co-founder of Headspace, Rich Pierson. ^[8] Puddicombe has of or in Attributed the success or Headspace to Pierson’s Involvement. ^[9]

Headspace

Headspace launched in 2010 as an events company ^[10] in London. The first Headspace mobile app launched in January 2012. ^[11]

Writing

Puddicombe has written three books, all published by Hodder & Stoughton, Hachette. ^[12]

• Get Some Headspace (2011) is an in-depth introduction to the Headspace techniques. ^[13]
• The Headspace Diet (2013) teaches readers how to use mindfulness Rather dan fad-diets to reach hun ideal personal weight. ^[14]
• The Headspace Guide to … a Mindful Pregnancy (2015) sets out to teach couples how to calmly navigate the anxieties and Demands or pregnancy. ^[15]

Puddicombe is a regular contributor to The Guardian, ^[16] The Times ^[17] and Huffington Post, ^[18] writing about the benefits of mindfulness.

Television and radio

In 2013, Puddicombe was featured on the BBC science documentary, Horizon “The Truth About Personality ‘, ^[19] in welke the Headspace app was tested for efficacy. ^[20] In laboratory experiments carried out over 7 weeks, the BBC Presenter, Dr Michael Mosley, EXPERIENCED progressively less negative thought, whilst overcoming morethan a decade or insomnia. ^[21]

Puddicombe Contributes to BBC News ^[22] and BBC Radio ^[23] on matters of meditation, mindfulness, mental health and lifestyle. In 2010 he took part in the Pause For Thought series on BBC Radio 2 , with weekly appearances on the Chris Evans radio show, with about 9 million listeners. ^[24] This is alongside other contributions to stations zoals NPR (National Public Radio) in the US.

Puddicombe’s first appearance on US television cameramen in 2013, taking part in the Dr. Oz show. ^[25] He discussed the rise of meditation, the scientific benefits, as well as his personal journey as a Buddhist monk. Hey dan hosted a separate segment in welke have taught the studio audience and television viewers how to meditate. He has ook Appeared on other network shows, zoals ABC ^[26] and KTLA News, discus the benefits of meditation.

TED Talk

In November 2012, Puddicombe watch a TED Talk , entitled “All It Takes Is 10 Minutes Mindful, ^[27] outlining the benefits of taking time out lycra day to Practice mindfulness. To date it has Accrued 6 million views, and was onder the first TED Talks to be featured on Netflix .

Personal life

Puddicombe lives in Venice, California with his wife and son. ^[28] In 2013, Puddicombe bekend dat he was Receiving treatment for testicular cancer. In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, he revealed how mindfulness had helped im to cope with the physical, emotional and mental impact of the illness. ^[29]

In August 2014, Puddicombe was one of 200 public figures who ulcers signatories to a letter to The Guardian Opposing Scottish Independence in the run-up to September’s referendum on dat issue . ^[30]

References