Meditation, without the app
Sit down. Breathe.
Start here, not in a store.
Guided meditation, breathing and sleep stories that meet you where you are. Free in your browser — no app, no account, no ads.
- No account
- No ads
- No streaks
- Works offline once loaded
Guided meditations
Begin with something short
Each one is a real script — plain speech, honest pacing — not a voice reading a listicle.
Breathing
A minute of that is enough
The shortest useful practices on the site. Pick one, follow the circle.
How to use Coherent 4-4 breathing for the hours after people leave, when you need to stop thinking about work
The pattern is 4 · 4, which is four and four, if five feels like a stretch.
Begin →How to use Box breathing for Monday morning, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
The pattern is 4 · 4 · 4 · 4, which is four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Begin →Tight box breath (4 · 1 · 4 · 1) for heavy days, when you need something unremarkable
The pattern is 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, which is barely any hold, for people who dislike holding.
Begin →3-6 breath (3 · 6) for a noisy room, after a difficult conversation
The pattern is 3 · 6, which is a gentle two-to-one ratio.
Begin →Sleep stories
For the nights your brain will not clock out
Slow, uneventful stories with nothing to solve. Read them yourself or let them read to you.
The house after everyone is asleep for jet lag
The hour when the house belongs to nobody and nothing needs doing.
Settle in →Sleep story: a caravan by the sea
Thin walls, wind outside, and the sound of shingle about fifty metres away.
Settle in →Sleep story: a bus at night for waking too early
Upper deck, front seat, a city going past that you do not have to join.
Settle in →A bus at night for a restless night
Upper deck, front seat, a city going past that you do not have to join.
Settle in →Sleep story: the night train for waking too early
Somewhere between two cities, in the dark, where nobody needs anything from you.
Settle in →Sleep story: a fire dying down
The last hour of a fire, when it stops being a fire and becomes warmth.
Settle in →Focus
A timer, and nothing else on the screen
Pick the work, the length and the background sound. The session runs in your browser, with a prep list and a plan for when you drift.
Deep work timer: 25 minutes of exam revision
One block of exam revision with vinyl crackle underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the timer →Deep work timer: 45 minutes of decluttering
One block of decluttering with vinyl crackle underneath. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
Start the timer →50-minute decluttering session
Sit down, press start, and move things out for 50 minutes. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the timer →90-minute admin and email session
Sit down, press start, and clear the queue for 90 minutes. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the timer →Guides
Answers, without the usual advice
The practical version of the questions people type at midnight — sleep, stress, focus, caffeine, grief.
Waking up anxious for no obvious reason
Morning anxiety is common and usually chemical rather than psychological. Cortisol rises steeply in the first hour after waking.
Read →Guide · 3 min readA morning routine that survives a bad night
Most morning routines are designed for people who slept well. Here is a version that works on four hours.
Read →Guide · 3 min readWorking in a noisy place without losing your mind
You cannot always control the noise. You can control what your attention does with it, and what you put in your ears.
Read →Fair questions
Asked honestly, answered plainly
Do I need to create an account?
No. SoftlyStill has no accounts and no login. Open the page and start. That is the whole product decision.
Is it really free?
Yes. Every meditation, breathing exercise and sleep story is free, with no trials, no streaks and no subscription wall.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. It works in any browser. You can also add it to your home screen and it behaves like an app — without the store or the tracking.
Are these meditations medical advice?
No. They are practices to support calm and sleep. They are not treatment. If you are struggling, please talk to a doctor or therapist.
From the journal
Writing worth a slow read
Meditation for ADHD: Finding What Works
Discover how meditation can be tailored to ADHD brains for a more peaceful mind.
Read →GuideGuided vs Silent: Choosing Your Meditation Path
When you're deciding between guided and silent meditation, consider your mood and needs today.
Read →GuideFinding Your Zen: Beginner's Meditation Time
Start with a few minutes and let your comfort guide you.
Read →