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: 12-minute breathing meditation, on a rest day
For the times on a rest day when stress takes up more room than you would like — 12 minutes, breathing.
Begin →Fear of flying: 5-minute letting go meditation, on a plane
Slow, spoken guidance for fear of flying. A letting go session you can do on a plane.
Begin →A lake before dawn — a slow story for the end of the day, after a difficult conversation — for waking too early
Flat water, no wind, and light that has not arrived yet.
Settle in →90-minute design work session with a fan or air conditioner and a timer, when the weather has kept you inside
Sit down, press start, and make decisions for 90 minutes. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for bedtime, when you are not sure this will work
The pattern is 5 · 2 · 7, which is five, a brief hold, then seven out.
Breathe →Grounding meditation for insomnia (3 min), early on
For the times early on when insomnia takes up more room than you would like — 3 minutes, grounding.
Begin →10-minute gratitude meditation for financial stress, on the road
Slow, spoken guidance for financial stress. A gratitude session you can do on the road.
Begin →The house after everyone is asleep, when you have woken up too early — for the hours after a late shift
The hour when the house belongs to nobody and nothing needs doing.
Settle in →A 25-minute block for decluttering, with distant thunder, when you are short on time
A single 25-minute block for decluttering — one surface at a time.
Start the block →Coherent 4-4 breath (4 · 4) for a hospital waiting room, when you are not in the mood
The pattern is 4 · 4, which is four and four, if five feels like a stretch.
Breathe →Meditation for fatigue: 7-minute letting go session, at midday
For the times at midday when fatigue takes up more room than you would like — 7 minutes, letting go.
Begin →15-minute guided breathing practice for concentration — before an appointment
15 minutes to meet concentration with less of a fight. A breathing practice, before an appointment.
Begin →Sleep story: the night train, on a day that started badly — for a racing mind
Somewhere between two cities, in the dark, where nobody needs anything from you.
Settle in →A 50-minute block for admin and email, with café murmur, on a day that started badly
A single 50-minute block for admin and email — in one pass, without opening new tabs.
Start the block →Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for jet lag, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
The pattern is 4 · 4 · 4 · 4, which is four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Breathe →Noting for contentment: 12 minutes, in the mid-afternoon
For the times in the mid-afternoon when contentment takes up more room than you would like — 12 minutes, noting.
Begin →Grounding for self-doubt: 3 minutes, before an interview
3 minutes to meet self-doubt with less of a fight. A grounding practice, before an interview.
Begin →A caravan by the sea — a slow story for the end of the day, before you go back to something hard — for waking too early
Thin walls, wind outside, and the sound of shingle about fifty metres away.
Settle in →A 90-minute block for portfolio work, with a fireplace, when you are at home and cannot settle
A single 90-minute block for portfolio work — the last ten percent.
Start the block →Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for heated moments, when you feel restless rather than tired
The pattern is 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, which is barely any hold, for people who dislike holding.
Breathe →Body scan meditation for a racing mind (20 min), during the evening wind-down
For the times during the evening wind-down when a racing mind takes up more room than you would like — 20 minutes, body scan.
Begin →Self-compassion meditation for tight shoulders and neck (7 min), on exam day
7 minutes to meet tight shoulders and neck with less of a fight. A self-compassion practice, on exam day.
Begin →An attic room, when you are doing this for the first time — for the hours after a late shift
Sloping ceiling, rain on the roof a foot above your head.
Settle in →25-minute focus session for problem solving with distant traffic, when you are cold and want to be warm
25 minutes on problem solving — before looking anything up. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →3-6 breathing — 3 · 6 — for a reset, when nothing else has worked today
The pattern is 3 · 6, which is a gentle two-to-one ratio.
Breathe →Heartbreak: 5-minute softening meditation, in the hour before sleep
For the times in the hour before sleep when heartbreak takes up more room than you would like — 5 minutes, softening.
Begin →Meditation for public speaking fear: 12-minute noting session, before a difficult talk
12 minutes to meet public speaking fear with less of a fight. A noting practice, before a difficult talk.
Begin →Sleep story: a lighthouse at the end of a long day, when you are on your own — for a racing mind
One light turning, a kettle, and weather you are on the right side of.
Settle in →50-minute focus session for coding with forest at dusk, when you only have a few minutes
50 minutes on coding — one function at a time, not the whole system. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →3-5-7 breathing — 3 · 5 · 7 — for a cold morning, when you are on your own
3 · 5 · 7 breathing: a staircase down: three, five, seven.
Breathe →Newest first. Everything here is free — no account, no streaks, nothing to install.