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.

Meditation12 min

Mindfulness: 12-minute softening meditation, at the end of the day

When mindfulness shows up at the end of the day, this 12-minute softening session gives you somewhere to put it down.

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Sleep12 min

A lighthouse at the end of a long day — a slow story for the end of the day, if you are doing this in the middle of the day — for waking too early

One light turning, a kettle, and weather you are on the right side of.

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Focus90 min

Focus session for decluttering: 90 minutes, forest at dusk, when you are short on time

90 minutes of decluttering, with forest at dusk and a note on what to do when you drift.

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Breathing2 min

3-5-7 breathing exercise for a night shift — when you are not in the mood

A 3 · 5 · 7 rhythm — a staircase down: three, five, seven.

Breathe →
Meditation7 min

Body scan meditation for anticipatory anxiety (7 min), before sleep

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 7 minutes of body scan for anticipatory anxiety, before sleep.

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Meditation20 min

20-minute self-compassion meditation for a racing mind, on a break

When a racing mind shows up on a break, this 20-minute self-compassion session gives you somewhere to put it down.

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Sleep20 min

A bus at night, if you are fitting this around other people — for the hours after a late shift

Upper deck, front seat, a city going past that you do not have to join.

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Focus25 min

25-minute admin and email session with birds at dawn and a timer, on a day that started badly

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

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Breathing2 min

How to use Physiological sigh for a break at work, when you are somewhere unfamiliar

A 2 · 6 rhythm — a second short sip of air on top of the first, then a long release.

Breathe →
Meditation12 min

Meditation for irritability: 12-minute softening session, on a slow Sunday

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 12 minutes of softening for irritability, on a slow Sunday.

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Meditation5 min

Meditation for heartbreak: 5-minute noting session, at the airport

Slow, spoken guidance for heartbreak. A noting session you can do at the airport.

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Sleep10 min

Sleep story: a field under snow, before something difficult — for a racing mind

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

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Focus50 min

50-minute portfolio work session with brown noise and a timer, when you are at home and cannot settle

Sit down, press start, and finish the pieces 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 Gentle box breathing for a hospital waiting room, when you feel restless rather than tired

A 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 rhythm — a smaller square, for when four counts feels long.

Breathe →
Meditation3 min

3-minute self-compassion meditation for study focus, first thing

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 3 minutes of self-compassion for study focus, first thing.

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Meditation10 min

Body scan for insomnia: 10 minutes, on a train journey

Slow, spoken guidance for insomnia. A body scan session you can do on a train journey.

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Sleep12 min

A fire dying down — a slow story for the end of the day, when you feel fine and want to stay that way — for a restless night

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

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Focus90 min

90-minute problem solving session with a stream and a timer, after eating too much

Sit down, press start, and stay with the difficulty for 90 minutes. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.

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Breathing3 min

How to use 4-7-8 breathing for the morning after, when nothing else has worked today

A 4 · 7 · 8 rhythm — in for four, hold for seven, out for eight.

Breathe →
Meditation7 min

7-minute guided noting practice for guilt — at lunch

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 7 minutes of noting for guilt, at lunch.

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Meditation15 min

Softening meditation for fatigue (15 min), in a waiting room

Slow, spoken guidance for fatigue. A softening session you can do in a waiting room.

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Sleep20 min

A library at closing time, after eating too much — for winding down

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

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Focus45 min

A 45-minute block for coding, with rain on a window, if you are tired of apps

A single 45-minute block for coding — one function at a time, not the whole system.

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Breathing2 min

5-7 breath (5 · 7) for anxious moments, when you are on your own

Rounds of 5 · 7, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Meditation12 min

Tension headaches: 12-minute grounding meditation, at 3pm

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 12 minutes of grounding for tension headaches, at 3pm.

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Meditation3 min

Contentment: 3-minute gratitude meditation, on the morning of an interview

Slow, spoken guidance for contentment. A gratitude session you can do on the morning of an interview.

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Sleep10 min

Sleep story: a boat at anchor, when you are not in the mood — for an overtired night

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

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Focus50 min

A 50-minute block for practising an instrument, with a train carriage, if you have done this a hundred times

A single 50-minute block for practising an instrument — slowly, with the metronome.

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Breathing2 min

2-1-4 breath (2 · 1 · 4) for a grey day, if you are fitting this around other people

Rounds of 2 · 1 · 4, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Meditation20 min

20-minute letting go meditation for worry, in the evening

For the times in the evening when worry takes up more room than you would like — 20 minutes, letting go.

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