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.

Meditation10 min

Breathing for a mindful pause: 10 minutes, when the news hits hard

Slow, spoken guidance for a mindful pause. A breathing session you can do when the news hits hard.

Begin →
Sleep15 min

A lighthouse at the end of a long day, when you are waiting for something — for a restless night

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

Settle in →
Focus45 min

45-minute focus session for exam revision with a stream, when you have just finished work

45 minutes on exam revision — recall rather than re-reading. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.

Start the block →
Breathing2 min

4-2-6 breathing exercise for days when everything is too much — if you have five quiet minutes

4 · 2 · 6 breathing: a short hold in the middle, a long way out.

Breathe →
Meditation7 min

7-minute guided gratitude practice for grief — on a meeting break

For the times on a meeting break when grief takes up more room than you would like — 7 minutes, gratitude.

Begin →
Meditation15 min

Grounding meditation for social anxiety (15 min), when you are at your limit

15 minutes to meet social anxiety with less of a fight. A grounding practice, when you are at your limit.

Begin →
Sleep20 min

A bus at night (a sleep story), when you want to finish something — for winding down

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

Settle in →
Focus50 min

50-minute focus session for data work with plain quiet, before you go back to something hard

50 minutes on data work — checking as you go. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.

Start the block →
Breathing2 min

How to use Coherent 6-6 breathing for a long wait, when you have tried everything else

6 · 6 breathing: six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.

Breathe →
Meditation12 min

Agitation: 12-minute breathing meditation, on your commute

For the times on your commute when agitation takes up more room than you would like — 12 minutes, breathing.

Begin →
Meditation3 min

Work stress: 3-minute letting go meditation, before sleep

3 minutes to meet work stress with less of a fight. A letting go practice, before sleep.

Begin →
Sleep10 min

A field under snow — a slow story for the end of the day, if you are tired of apps — for an overtired night

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

Settle in →
Focus25 min

Deep work timer: 25 minutes of editing (a train carriage), when you want to be left alone

One block of editing with a train carriage underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.

Start the block →
Breathing2 min

How to use Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for creative work, when you have just finished work

2 · 1 · 2 · 1 breathing: a brisk rhythm for when you need to be awake.

Breathe →
Meditation20 min

20-minute grounding meditation for waking up, ahead of a full day

For the times ahead of a full day when waking up takes up more room than you would like — 20 minutes, grounding.

Begin →
Meditation7 min

7-minute gratitude meditation for restlessness at night, on a slow Sunday

7 minutes to meet restlessness at night with less of a fight. A gratitude practice, on a slow Sunday.

Begin →
Sleep15 min

A fire dying down, when your attention is scattered — for jet lag

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

Settle in →
Focus45 min

Deep work timer: 45 minutes of brainstorming (birds at dawn), if you are new to this

One block of brainstorming with birds at dawn underneath. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.

Start the block →
Breathing3 min

How to use Uneven box breathing for Friday evening, before you go back to something hard

A 4 · 4 · 6 · 2 rhythm — a square with one long side.

Breathe →
Meditation5 min

Meditation for feeling not good enough: 5-minute letting go session, at the end of the day

For the times at the end of the day when feeling not good enough takes up more room than you would like — 5 minutes, letting go.

Begin →
Meditation15 min

15-minute guided breathing practice for exhaustion — first thing

15 minutes to meet exhaustion with less of a fight. A breathing practice, first thing.

Begin →
Sleep20 min

A library at closing time (a sleep story), when you have woken up too early — for a night when you do not want to think

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

Settle in →
Focus90 min

Deep work timer: 90 minutes of research (white noise), when your attention is scattered

One block of research with white noise underneath. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.

Start the block →
Breathing2 min

4-8 breath (4 · 8) for physical discomfort, when you want to be left alone

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

Breathe →
Meditation10 min

Noting for restless legs: 10 minutes, at the weekend

When restless legs shows up at the weekend, this 10-minute noting session gives you somewhere to put it down.

Begin →
Meditation3 min

Softening for being present: 3 minutes, at lunch

3 minutes to meet being present with less of a fight. A softening practice, at lunch.

Begin →
Sleep10 min

A boat at anchor — a slow story for the end of the day, when you have been putting it off — for waking too early

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

Settle in →
Focus25 min

25-minute focus block for applications and forms — a stream, when you have been meaning to start

A timer, a short prep list, and 25 minutes to get through the questions.

Start the block →
Breathing3 min

5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for exam nerves, if you are new to this

A 5 · 2 · 7 rhythm — five, a brief hold, then seven out.

Breathe →
Meditation15 min

Body scan meditation for grief (15 min), at the airport

When grief shows up at the airport, this 15-minute body scan session gives you somewhere to put it down.

Begin →