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.
stress relief in five minutes
Use this when the day feels heavy and you need a quiet pause.
Begin →A kitchen late at night — a slow story for the end of the day, if you have done this a hundred times — for a restless night
One small light on, a cooling cup of tea, and the rest of the house dark.
Settle in →25-minute focus session for language practice with a fan or air conditioner, when nothing else has worked today
25 minutes on language practice — repetition rather than novelty. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for a long illness, before something difficult
Rounds of 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, with the counting done for you.
Breathe →Meditation for physical tension: 5-minute letting go session, at 3pm
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 5 minutes of letting go for physical tension, at 3pm.
Begin →12-minute guided noting practice for shame — on the morning of an interview
When shame shows up on the morning of an interview, this 12-minute noting session gives you somewhere to put it down.
Begin →A lake before dawn, when you have been meaning to start — for winding down
Flat water, no wind, and light that has not arrived yet.
Settle in →45-minute focus session for studying with a washing machine, when you are on your own
45 minutes on studying — reading and notes, not highlighting. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
Start the block →3-6 breathing for bedtime, when you are on your own
Rounds of 3 · 6, with the counting done for you.
Breathe →Gratitude for test anxiety: 10 minutes, in the evening
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 10 minutes of gratitude for test anxiety, in the evening.
Begin →Restless legs: 20-minute grounding meditation, in the hour before an exam
When restless legs shows up in the hour before an exam, this 20-minute grounding session gives you somewhere to put it down.
Begin →Sleep story: the house after everyone is asleep, when the day has been loud — for an overtired night
The hour when the house belongs to nobody and nothing needs doing.
Settle in →90-minute focus session for drawing with café murmur, if you are fitting this around other people
90 minutes on drawing — without correcting anything yet. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →3-5-7 breathing for a hospital waiting room, if you are fitting this around other people
Rounds of 3 · 5 · 7, with the counting done for you.
Breathe →Breathing meditation for deadline pressure (15 min), before bed
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 15 minutes of breathing for deadline pressure, before bed.
Begin →Letting go meditation for anticipatory anxiety (5 min), before a hard conversation
When anticipatory anxiety shows up before a hard conversation, this 5-minute letting go session gives you somewhere to put it down.
Begin →The night train — a slow story for the end of the day, if you are sceptical about all of this — for jet lag
Somewhere between two cities, in the dark, where nobody needs anything from you.
Settle in →Deep work timer: 25 minutes of reading (a library), when you have more time than usual
One block of reading with a library underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →Physiological sigh for the morning after, when you have more time than usual
Rounds of 2 · 6, with the counting done for you.
Breathe →Better sleep: 3-minute grounding meditation, at night
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 3 minutes of grounding for better sleep, at night.
Begin →Meditation for irritability: 10-minute gratitude session, after a fight
Slow, spoken guidance for irritability. A gratitude session you can do after a fight.
Begin →A caravan by the sea, when you are not sure this will work — for winding down
Thin walls, wind outside, and the sound of shingle about fifty metres away.
Settle in →Deep work timer: 45 minutes of thesis writing (distant traffic), when you have been putting it off
One block of thesis writing with distant traffic underneath. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
Start the block →Gentle box breathing: 10 rounds for heated moments, when you have been putting it off
Rounds of 3 · 3 · 3 · 3, with the counting done for you.
Breathe →7-minute letting go meditation for self-criticism, when you wake at 3am
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 7 minutes of letting go for self-criticism, when you wake at 3am.
Begin →Breathing for deep work: 15 minutes, after a shock
Slow, spoken guidance for deep work. A breathing session you can do after a shock.
Begin →Sleep story: an attic room, if you are doing this in the middle of the day — for an overtired night
Sloping ceiling, rain on the roof a foot above your head.
Settle in →Deep work timer: 90 minutes of design work (forest at dusk), if you are sceptical about all of this
One block of design work with forest at dusk underneath. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →4-7-8 breathing: 10 rounds for a reset, if you are sceptical about all of this
Simple counts — 4 · 7 · 8 — and a circle that keeps time.
Breathe →12-minute guided noting practice for a mindful pause — at your desk
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 12 minutes of noting for a mindful pause, at your desk.
Begin →Newest first. Everything here is free — no account, no streaks, nothing to install.