Everything, 30 at a time

Every meditation, breathing exercise, sleep story, focus session, guide and essay on SoftlyStill — 6,878 pieces, newest first, 30 to a page.

Story5 min read

Breathing tricks that calm panic quickly

When panic spikes, a few seconds of breath work can bring the mind back. Here are the three techniques that work fastest.

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Sleep15 min

A field under snow — a slow story for the end of the day, when the house is busy — for winding down

Everything muffled, everything white, and no tracks but yours.

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Focus50 min

Focus session for language practice: 50 minutes, brown noise, when you are somewhere noisy

50 minutes of language practice, with brown noise and a note on what to do when you drift.

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Breathing2 min

Coherent 5-5 breathing exercise for heated moments — when you have tried everything else

Rounds of 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.

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Meditation15 min

15-minute guided breathing practice for work stress — on exam day

Slow, spoken guidance for work stress. A breathing session you can do on exam day.

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Meditation7 min

7-minute guided letting go practice for overthinking — in the middle of the night

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 7 minutes of letting go for overthinking, in the middle of the night.

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Sleep10 min

A fire dying down (a sleep story), when you are somewhere noisy — for an overtired night

The last hour of a fire, when it stops being a fire and becomes warmth.

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Focus90 min

Focus session for studying: 90 minutes, a stream, after a long day

90 minutes of studying, with a stream and a note on what to do when you drift.

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Breathing3 min

6-2-6-2 breathing exercise for a reset — when you have just finished work

Rounds of 6 · 2 · 6 · 2, with the counting done for you.

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Meditation3 min

Grounding for restlessness at night: 3 minutes, before a presentation

Slow, spoken guidance for restlessness at night. A grounding session you can do before a presentation.

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Meditation12 min

Anger: 12-minute gratitude meditation, beside your desk

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 12 minutes of gratitude for anger, beside your desk.

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Sleep12 min

Sleep story: a library at closing time, when you only have a few minutes — for jet lag

The last hour, when the lights go down row by row.

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Focus25 min

25-minute drawing session with plain quiet and a timer, when you are waiting for something

Sit down, press start, and fill the page for 25 minutes. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.

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Breathing4 min

Slow box breathing exercise for days when everything is too much — before you go back to something hard

Rounds of 5 · 5 · 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Meditation7 min

Letting go meditation for the afternoon slump (7 min), before a hard conversation

Slow, spoken guidance for the afternoon slump. A letting go session you can do before a hard conversation.

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Meditation20 min

20-minute breathing meditation for brain fog, between meetings

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 20 minutes of breathing for brain fog, between meetings.

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Sleep15 min

A boat at anchor — a slow story for the end of the day, when you are somewhere unfamiliar — for a night when you do not want to think

A small harbour, a rope that creaks, and a boat that moves about a metre in the night.

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Focus50 min

50-minute reading session with a train carriage and a timer, when you are too tired to try hard

Sit down, press start, and read properly for 50 minutes. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.

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Breathing2 min

How to use 4-6 breathing for a long wait, when you want to be left alone

Rounds of 4 · 6, with the counting done for you.

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Meditation12 min

Meditation for mindfulness: 12-minute noting session, after a fight

Slow, spoken guidance for mindfulness. A noting session you can do after a fight.

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Meditation5 min

Meditation for perfectionism: 5-minute grounding session, on the way in

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 5 minutes of grounding for perfectionism, on the way in.

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Sleep10 min

A hotel room somewhere (a sleep story), when you want to be left alone — for waking too early

A room you did not choose, in a city you do not have to know.

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Focus90 min

90-minute thesis writing session with birds at dawn and a timer, when you are not sure this will work

Sit down, press start, and add to the pile for 90 minutes. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.

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Breathing2 min

How to use 4-2-6 breathing for creative work, if you are new to this

Rounds of 4 · 2 · 6, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Meditation20 min

Body scan for health anxiety: 20 minutes, after a horrible day

20 minutes to meet health anxiety with less of a fight. A body scan practice, after a horrible day.

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Meditation10 min

Self-compassion for jaw tension: 10 minutes, before work

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 10 minutes of self-compassion for jaw tension, before work.

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Sleep12 min

Sleep story: a garden in the rain, when you cannot concentrate on anything else — for the hours after a late shift

Steady rain on leaves, and a chair under an awning that stays dry.

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Focus45 min

A 45-minute block for design work, with white noise, when you are not in the mood

A single 45-minute block for design work — rough versions first.

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Breathing2 min

How to use Coherent 6-6 breathing for Monday morning, when your attention is scattered

Simple counts — 6 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.

Breathe →
Meditation5 min

5-minute guided softening practice for stress — when you are overwhelmed

5 minutes to meet stress with less of a fight. A softening practice, when you are overwhelmed.

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