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

Breathing for tired eyes: 12 minutes, on the train

12 minutes to meet tired eyes with less of a fight. A breathing practice, on the train.

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Sleep20 min

A boat at anchor — a slow story for the end of the day, if you are tired of apps — for waking too early

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

Settle in →
Focus50 min

A 50-minute block for problem solving, with plain quiet, when you have been putting it off

A single 50-minute block for problem solving — before looking anything up.

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Breathing2 min

Coherent 6-6 breathing exercise for Friday evening — if you are tired of apps

A 6 · 6 rhythm — six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.

Breathe →
Meditation7 min

7-minute guided gratitude practice for deadline pressure — after a bad day

For the times after a bad day when deadline pressure takes up more room than you would like — 7 minutes, gratitude.

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Meditation20 min

Grounding meditation for grief (20 min), after a long day

20 minutes to meet grief with less of a fight. A grounding practice, after a long day.

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Sleep12 min

A hotel room somewhere, when you are somewhere unfamiliar — for the hours after a late shift

A room you did not choose, in a city you do not have to know.

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Focus25 min

25-minute focus session for coding with a train carriage, when you have been on screens all day

25 minutes on coding — one function at a time, not the whole system. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.

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Breathing2 min

How to use Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for physical discomfort, if you have done this a hundred times

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

Breathe →
Meditation12 min

Focus: 12-minute breathing meditation, when it all piles up

For the times when it all piles up when focus takes up more room than you would like — 12 minutes, breathing.

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Meditation5 min

Overwhelm: 5-minute letting go meditation, on a Sunday

5 minutes to meet overwhelm with less of a fight. A letting go practice, on a Sunday.

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Sleep15 min

Sleep story: a garden in the rain, if you are doing this instead of scrolling — for a racing mind

Steady rain on leaves, and a chair under an awning that stays dry.

Settle in →
Focus45 min

45-minute focus session for practising an instrument with birds at dawn, when you have woken up too early

45 minutes on practising an instrument — slowly, with the metronome. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.

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Breathing2 min

How to use Uneven box breathing for the early months, when you have already had a long week

Rounds of 4 · 4 · 6 · 2, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Meditation20 min

20-minute grounding meditation for the inner critic, as sleep prep

For the times as sleep prep when the inner critic takes up more room than you would like — 20 minutes, grounding.

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Meditation10 min

10-minute gratitude meditation for deep work, during a break

10 minutes to meet deep work with less of a fight. A gratitude practice, during a break.

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Sleep20 min

A kitchen late at night — a slow story for the end of the day, when you have been putting it off — for a restless night

One small light on, a cooling cup of tea, and the rest of the house dark.

Settle in →
Focus90 min

90-minute focus session for exam revision with white noise, when the day has been loud

90 minutes on exam revision — recall rather than re-reading. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.

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Breathing2 min

4-8 breath (4 · 8) for the commute, on a low-energy afternoon

Rounds of 4 · 8, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Meditation5 min

Meditation for physical tension: 5-minute self-compassion session, on a rest day

When physical tension shows up on a rest day, this 5-minute self-compassion session gives you somewhere to put it down.

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Meditation15 min

15-minute guided breathing practice for feeling not good enough — on a plane

15 minutes to meet feeling not good enough with less of a fight. A breathing practice, on a plane.

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Sleep12 min

A lake before dawn, when the weather has kept you inside — for winding down

Flat water, no wind, and light that has not arrived yet.

Settle in →
Focus25 min

Deep work timer: 25 minutes of data work (a stream), when you feel fine and want to stay that way

One block of data work with a stream underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.

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Breathing2 min

5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for coming down after exercise, when you cannot concentrate on anything else

Rounds of 5 · 2 · 7, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Meditation12 min

Noting for test anxiety: 12 minutes, on a lunch break

When test anxiety shows up on a lunch break, this 12-minute noting session gives you somewhere to put it down.

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Meditation3 min

Softening for restless legs: 3 minutes, on the road

3 minutes to meet restless legs with less of a fight. A softening practice, on the road.

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Sleep15 min

Sleep story: the house after everyone is asleep, when you have tried everything else — for an overtired night

The hour when the house belongs to nobody and nothing needs doing.

Settle in →
Focus50 min

Deep work timer: 50 minutes of editing (rain on a window), if you have five quiet minutes

One block of editing with rain on a window underneath. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.

Start the block →
Breathing2 min

Coherent 4-4 breath (4 · 4) for a long illness, when you have been on screens all day

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

Breathe →
Meditation20 min

Body scan meditation for deadline pressure (20 min), in the afternoon slump

When deadline pressure shows up in the afternoon slump, this 20-minute body scan session gives you somewhere to put it down.

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