Meditation for Developers

This year again, I attended a meditation retreat (without sectarians or religious connotations), and I realised how good it is to take a break to rebase and get fresh energy. I want to share my experiences here in this post and why this can help other developers.

What did I learn during the retreat?

Mere mind and matter constantly interact, constantly influence each other, and become a cause for the arising of each other, resulting in currents, crosscurrents, and undercurrents going on in what you call 'self'. - Excerpt From: S. N. Goenka. “Satipatthana Sutta Discourses”. Apple Books.

The essential work done during the retreat is to experience impermanence observing the interaction between Body and Mind.

You might discover that “I” or “mine” or “myself” are just conventional words. This mind-matter structure is just a material and mental phenomenon.

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There is much more to it, but mostly it is derived from the your own experience, not learned through books! In the end, when we realise that everything is changing all the time, the idea of an immutable soul or self remains an elusive abstraction. And this experience is a beautiful moment, not at all destructive like some might imagine. I did feel very much closer to my human nature in this way.

How to prioritise your mental health.

Mental resilience is a real battle on a long challenge, especially when you’re isolated. Controlling the content that you let inside your mind is the first line of defence - from Jenny Tough on Twitter

I am a junior iOS developer based in Berlin. The months between January and now have been tough. I am happy that I live in a country (Germany ) where the pandemic could be contained without a big loss of life, but still, this year has been hard for me. I stayed home a lot, especially at the start of the pandemic, but already since February, since I had just completed my IHK certification in Berlin and was looking for a job.

So I spent most of my time in front of my computer screen alternating some Coursera MOOCs (mass online courses), with some freecodecamp tutorial and certifications, practising some algorithms, doing iOS tutorials and using my time in the best way that I could think of. I do love programming and this was not a problem. Also, I kept looking for jobs and applying online to positions I was interested in.

Slowly without noticing, it became sometimes quite a lot. In the weekends too I would barely take time off. Sometimes it took me a week or two to prepare for an interview and I would be rejected without even getting constructive feedback.

Finally, in September I realised that I was reaching the end of the ride. Waking up in the morning exhausted. I could not look at the screen, not even at my iPad or iPhone. This was the end, I felt worn and I needed recharging. I felt then the best and only way to avoid the internet and computers would be a meditation retreat. And so I signed up for a course!

A remedy to excessive screen time

As a developer, I spend most of my day in front of a screen. If I am not working, then I am checking my twitter feed. In the evening I am watching some Netflix series again in front of a screen. Even without reaching into the doom-scrolling territory, this is a lot of screen time. I even spend lots of screen time at the weekend, researching destinations, buying tickets or looking at messages. And I am already bombarded with notifications and advertising which keep me coming back to my device.

It is such a relief to have the possibility to say no for a short period to all this. To be able to go for a retreat, where just for a few days my iPhone will be taken away from me and, I will be able to experience some me time again. I do not say that communication devices are bad per se, don't get me wrong, but because of their intrinsic commercial nature, they are all set to sell us something most of the time, even when we do not need it. With machine learning, they even get to know me and my weaknesses very well. Sometimes I want to be left alone. We are exposed and naked on the web, and we know it. However, there is a way to disconnect and become invisible for a moment to take a deep dive in ourselves.

The argument for a retreat

It was not my first time to go on a retreat. Many people might not feel the need to go on one; they learn to unwind in different ways. Practising meditation does bring some peace of mind and relaxation but also do yoga and jogging. I used to do all of this and still do some sport-activity every day. It is invigorating and makes you feel better. So why a retreat? When I think about my last retreat, I realise that this was for me a groundbreaking experience. Something unique that brought some deep insight into my life and maybe changed me a little. In daily life, if there is something that is occupying your mind and your thoughts, it is easier to push it away, ignore it or forget about it. Our attention gets distracted so many times. We might even think we are happy when we are so obviously not. The mind plays tricks on us. Things are different when we are left alone with our thoughts in a quiet place for a longer period. I usually get great inspiration and ideas from a retreat. There is more to it and in the case of Vipassana, there is a meditation technique, a real challenge to do the best that you can. It is different than doing the same but alone in the mountains.

When coming back from such an experience, I feel renewed. I do not have to tell myself that I am happy, I just feel happy. On the first day after the retreat, even coming back into the chaos of Berlin, it seems that nothing can break my peace of mind. I do not care about noise or people being rude; I do not get angry and do not have negative thoughts. It is a great feeling. However, after a while, the usual annoyances start to creep in again. This is why practice is important. When I practice at home, the experience is different but still good enough to continue and keep the good feelings! Since you are meditating a lot during the retreat, the mind gets everyday sharper and sharper. Your insights and concentration are deeper. At home, it will be less so, but it is good to keep up the practice and

Real hands-on practice is what brings you forward.

Sometimes we tend to over intellectualise things and view things from an intellectual point only, neglecting the practical aspect of reality. And this is true for software development too. Doing your project is much more of a learning experience compared to just following a tutorial. In the same way, only reading tons of self-help books will not help much, but real practice will. This is what I believe anyway!

about me

I am a junior iOS developer based in Berlin. In January 2020 I received my German IHK certification as a software developer and went freelance. At first, I was teaching some beginner Python in the school in Berlin I attended, but I am not interested in becoming a full-time teacher. I am looking to building my iOS portfolio and get some work as a programmer.

about Vipassana

Vipassana meditation in the tradition of S N Goenka is a non sectarian meditation technique about sharpening your mind awareness, observing your breath and sensations; and experiencing impermanence directly in your body and mind.