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.

Focus90 min

A 90-minute block for brainstorming, with rain on a window, if you are doing this in the middle of the day

A single 90-minute block for brainstorming — quantity before quality.

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Breathing2 min

Uneven box breathing — 4 · 4 · 6 · 2 — for creative work, when you have been on screens all day

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

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Meditation20 min

20-minute guided noting practice for self-criticism — after a shock

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 20 minutes of noting for self-criticism, after a shock.

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Meditation10 min

10-minute guided softening practice for deep work — before work

When deep work shows up before work, this 10-minute softening session gives you somewhere to put it down.

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Sleep20 min

Sleep story: a lighthouse at the end of a long day, when you are somewhere unfamiliar — for an overtired night

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

Settle in →
Focus25 min

25-minute focus session for research with a fireplace, before you go back to something hard

25 minutes on research — with a note file open beside you. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.

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Breathing2 min

4-8 breathing — 4 · 8 — for Monday morning, when you have woken up too early

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

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Meditation5 min

Grounding for physical tension: 5 minutes, after a bad day

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 5 minutes of grounding for physical tension, after a bad day.

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Meditation15 min

Shame: 15-minute self-compassion meditation, after a long day

When shame shows up after a long day, this 15-minute self-compassion session gives you somewhere to put it down.

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Sleep10 min

A bus at night — a slow story for the end of the day, when you want to be left alone — for jet lag

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

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Focus45 min

45-minute focus session for applications and forms with vinyl crackle, when you want to be left alone

45 minutes on applications and forms — dull but finite. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.

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Breathing2 min

5-2-7 breathing for heavy days, when you need something unremarkable

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

Breathe →
Meditation10 min

Letting go meditation for test anxiety (10 min), before bedtime

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 10 minutes of letting go for test anxiety, before bedtime.

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Meditation3 min

Breathing meditation for restless legs (3 min), on a Sunday

Slow, spoken guidance for restless legs. A breathing session you can do on a Sunday.

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Sleep15 min

A field under snow, when you cannot concentrate on anything else — for a night when you do not want to think

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

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Focus90 min

90-minute focus session for planning with a fan or air conditioner, if you are new to this

90 minutes on planning — on paper, so you can see it. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.

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Breathing2 min

Coherent 4-4 breathing for a noisy room, after a difficult conversation

A 4 · 4 rhythm — four and four, if five feels like a stretch.

Breathe →
Meditation15 min

Meditation for burnout: 15-minute gratitude session, on a day off

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 15 minutes of gratitude for burnout, on a day off.

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Meditation7 min

Meditation for anticipatory anxiety: 7-minute grounding session, in the air

Slow, spoken guidance for anticipatory anxiety. A grounding session you can do in the air.

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Sleep20 min

Sleep story: a fire dying down, when the weather has kept you inside — for waking too early

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

Settle in →
Focus25 min

Deep work timer: 25 minutes of writing (a washing machine), when your attention is scattered

One block of writing with a washing machine underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.

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Breathing2 min

Box breathing: 8 rounds for the morning, when you are somewhere noisy

A 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 rhythm — four equal sides, like tracing a square.

Breathe →
Meditation5 min

5-minute breathing meditation for better sleep, in the morning

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 5 minutes of breathing for better sleep, in the morning.

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Meditation12 min

Letting go for irritability: 12 minutes, on a train

Slow, spoken guidance for irritability. A letting go session you can do on a train.

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Story5 min read

Lying-Down Meditation: A Valid Practice

Lying down can be a powerful way to meditate. Let's explore how.

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Meditation7 min

seven minute breath focus

Use this when you need a quiet pause before sleep or work.

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Focus50 min

Deep work timer: 50 minutes of language practice (café murmur), when you have been meaning to start

One block of language practice with café murmur underneath. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.

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Breathing2 min

Coherent 5-5 breath (5 · 5) for exam nerves, before you go back to something hard

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

Breathe →
Meditation20 min

Gratitude meditation for study focus (20 min), in the queue

Slow, spoken guidance for study focus. A gratitude session you can do in the queue.

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Meditation10 min

Grounding meditation for insomnia (10 min), at bedtime

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 10 minutes of grounding for insomnia, at bedtime.

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